Trump appears to forget Usha Vance’s name while discussing controversial Greenland visit

President Donald Trump appeared to forget Usha Vance’s name while discussing her upcoming visit to Greenland, a trip that has already sparked controversy among Greenland’s leaders. Usha, the wife of U.S. Vice President JD Vance, is set to visit the territory on March 27 alongside U.S. national security adviser Mike Waltz. Many Greenlanders see the trip as a political power move rather than a diplomatic visit.

While speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump praised Usha Vance but struggled to recall her name, pausing momentarily before referring to her as “the wife of our great Vice President.” Before the slip, Trump had expressed admiration for Usha, calling her “a very brilliant woman” and “a very nice woman.” He also stated that she “loves the concept of Greenland.”

“I thought it would be a great… I have great respect for, er, the wife of our first… of our great Vice President. I think she’s doing a… she’s a brilliant woman. She’s, er, a very nice woman and she loves the concept of Greenland,” Trump stated during the press briefing.

Greenland Denies Extending an Invitation

Trump claimed that Usha Vance and Mike Waltz were “invited” to Greenland, but the Greenlandic government swiftly dismissed this assertion. In an official social media post, the government stated, “Just for the record, Naalakkersuisut, the government of Greenland, has not extended any invitations for any visits, neither private nor official.”

The visit comes amid renewed tensions between the U.S. and Greenland following Trump’s previous comments about America’s interest in acquiring the territory. Though Trump framed the visit as a gesture of “friendship,” Greenland’s Prime Minister Múte B. Egede strongly disagreed.

Greenland’s PM Reacts to Usha Vance’s Visit

Greenland’s Prime Minister Múte B. Egede criticized the visit, questioning the involvement of a high-ranking U.S. national security official in what was presented as a diplomatic trip.

“We are now at a level where it can in no way be characterized as a harmless visit from a politician’s wife. What is the national security adviser doing in Greenland? The only purpose is to demonstrate power over us,” Egede told local media.

As the controversy unfolds, the visit continues to fuel tensions, with Greenlandic leaders viewing it as an assertion of U.S. influence rather than a goodwill mission.