JD Vance and wife due in Greenland as Putin warns US threat to take over not ‘extravagant talk’
JD Vance and his wife are due to arrive in Greenland on Friday for a trip that provoked uproar – as Vladimir Putin warns that US threats to take over the island should be taken seriously.
The US vice president and his wife Usha are expected to arrive in Greenland at about 3.30pm GMT to visit America’s military base at Pituffik in the north of the Arctic island.
The itinerary has been stripped back. Mrs Vance had planned a solo visit to a popular dog-sled race on the island with national security adviser Mike Waltz – but the idea provoked anger as they had not been invited by authorities in either Greenland or Denmark.
Her husband then said he would be joining her for that trip, only for the itinerary to be changed once again to a one-day visit to the military post, following protests from Greenland and Denmark.
The trip comes after repeated assertions from Donald Trump that the US should take over Greenland, a territory which has been part of Denmark for 600 years.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he is not surprised the US wants control of the semi-autonomous Danish territory.
Mr Putin, who after being largely shunned by the West over his invasion of Ukraine has held two phone calls with Mr Trump since the Republican’s inauguration in January, said America’s proposition shouldn’t be seen as “extravagant talk”.
Pic: Reuters
Speaking at a policy forum in the Arctic port of Murmansk, he noted the US first considered plans to win control over Greenland in the 19th century, and then offered to buy it from Denmark after World War Two.
“It can look surprising only at first glance and it would be wrong to believe that this is some sort of extravagant talk by the current US administration,” Mr Putin said.
“It’s obvious that the United States will continue to systematically advance its geostrategic, military-political and economic interests in the Arctic.”
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He went on: “We won’t allow any infringement on our country’s sovereignty, reliably safeguard our national interests while supporting peace and stability in the polar region.”
While pledging to strengthen Russia’s military foothold in the Arctic, Mr Putin said that Moscow was holding the door open to broader international cooperation in the region.
“The stronger our positions will be, the more significant the results will be and the broader opportunities we will have to launch international projects in the Arctic involving the countries that are friendly to us, and, possibly, Western countries if they show interest in joint work. I’m sure the time will come to launch such projects.”
Donald Trump has waded into the debate surrounding Sydney Sweeney’s jeans ad.
The American Eagle ad, which features the 27-year-old actress, who starred in the HBO series Euphoria and White Lotus, has the tagline “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans”.
It has sparked a debate in the US over race and Western beauty standards.
One of the Sydney Sweeney jeans ads. Pic: AP
In a Truth Social post, the US president described it as the “hottest ad out there”.
Hailing Sweeney as a “registered Republican”, he said the jeans are “flying off the shelves”, adding: “Go get ’em Sydney!”
Most of the criticism of the ad has centred on videos using the word “genes” instead of “jeans”, with one in which Sweeney says: “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality and even eye colour. My jeans are blue.”
Critics argued the play on words potentially promotes eugenics, a discredited theory that believed humanity could be improved through the selective breeding of certain traits.
But others have defended the ad, saying the critics are reading too much into its message.
The video appeared on American Eagle’s Facebook page and other social media channels, but is not part of the ad campaign.
In a statement on Instagram on Friday, American Eagle Outfitters said the campaign “is and always was about the jeans. Her jeans. Her story. We’ll continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans with confidence, their way. Great jeans look good on everyone.”
Stocks in American Eagle Outfitters jumped by 23.3% after Mr Trump’s intervention.
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In his Truth Social post, which he reposted three times to fix various typos, Mr Trump compared the ad with “woke” ones “on the other side of the ledger” – as he criticised other companies, as well as hitting out at Taylor Swift.
“The tide has seriously turned – Being WOKE is for losers, being Republican is what you want to be,” he wrote.
Sky News has contacted Sweeney’s agent for comment.
Police in Tennessee have discovered 14 improvised explosive devices in a man’s home as they were arresting him, the local sheriff’s office said.
Officers were executing a warrant in the home of Kevin Wade O’Neal in Old Fort, about 45 miles (70km) east of Chattanooga, after he had threatened to kill public officials and law enforcement personnel in Polk County.
After arresting the 54-year-old, officers noticed “something smouldering” in the bedroom where he was found.
Kevin Wade O’Neal. Pic: Polk County Sheriff’s Office
On closer inspection, they discovered an improvised explosive device and evacuated the house until bomb squad officers arrived at the scene.
Fourteen devices were found inside the property – none of which detonated.
Improvised explosive devices were found in Kevin Wade O’Neal’s home. Pic: Polk County Sheriff’s Office
Kevin Wade O’Neal’s home in Old Fort, Tennessee. Pic: Polk County Sheriff’s Office
O’Neal was charged with 11 counts of attempted first-degree murder, corresponding to nine officers and two other people inside the property when the suspect tried to detonate the devices.
He also faces 14 counts of prohibited weapons and one count of possession of explosive components.
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O’Neal is being held at the Polk County jail and his bond is yet to be determined.
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