US Vice President JD Vance touched down in Greenland on Friday, March 28, only to find himself the butt of online jokes after waving to what appeared to be a non-existent crowd. Accompanied by his wife, Usha, the 40-year-old stepped off Air Force Two at the US military's Pituffik Space Base, where he was set to attend a national security briefing. According to The Irish Star, the awkward moment unfolded as he saluted and waved, only for the camera to reveal a thin gathering – mostly security personnel and a handful of press, not the throngs he seemed to expect.
"It's cold as s*** here. Nobody told me," Vance quipped to the troops who greeted him, a candid admission that did little to shift focus from his gaffe. He quickly pivoted to the trip's purpose, stressing that President Donald Trump "is really interested in Arctic security, as you all know, and it's only going to get bigger over the coming decades." Yet, the sparse welcome stole the spotlight, igniting a firestorm of mockery on X.
The uninvited guests have arrived in Greenland and are waving to a crowd that isn't there. @OJoelsen
pic.twitter.com/IqiPI0k4n1— Marlene Robertson (@marlene4719) March 28, 2025
One user posted a video with the caption, "The uninvited guests have arrived in Greenland and are waving to a crowd that isn't there." Comments piled on fast. "They learned that wave thingy from Trump," one wrote, poking fun at the gesture. Another, claiming firsthand experience, chimed in, "I lived there for 18 months. Many days I would only see maybe five people. You're either working or sleeping – there are no crowds at Thule for anything."
A third X user jabbed: "That they always have to wave to nobody. It is so ridiculous," while a fourth insisted, "Blatantly obvious they aren't welcome but they still go anyways, they deserve all the criticism they get." A fifth speculated, "Do you think that Fox News will edit this footage to just show them waving at the 'crowds'?"
Originally, Usha's itinerary included a multi-day visit with stops in Nuuk and cultural events like a dogsled race, per The Irish Star. But backlash from Greenland and Danish officials – irked by the lack of consultation – forced a rethink, with the White House scaling it back to a single day at Pituffik.
