Greenland’s leader has accused the US of a “very aggressive” show of power by sending a delegation to the island as President Trump continues to express plans to take it over.

Left-wing Prime Minister Mute B. Egede lashed out late Sunday as news broke of the planned visit led by Vice President JD Vance’s wife, Usha Vance, along with White House National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

“The very aggressive American pressure against Greenlandic society is now so serious that the level cannot be raised any higher,” Egede told the Sermitsiaq newspaper.

“Until recently, we could trust the Americans, who were our allies and friends, and with whom we enjoyed working closely … But that time is over,” he said.

“What is the national security adviser doing in Greenland? The only purpose is to demonstrate power over us,” Egede fumed.

“His mere presence in Greenland will no doubt fuel belief in Trump’s mission — and the pressure will increase.”

Egede’s left-wing party, IAlnuit Ataqatigiit, lost the island’s parliamentary elections but he will stay on as prime minister until a new governing coalition is formed.

The vast majority of Greenlanders have said they don’t want to be part of the US, with 85% of those polled in January saying they were against the move, and the only pro-Trump party standing in March’s elections got only 1% of the vote.

Despite that, President Trump has repeatedly stated that the US will take the island either by economic incentives or force.

“I think we’re going to get it one way or the other,” he said during his remarks to a joint session of Congress earlier in March.

Other Greenland leaders have also slammed the planned US visit as showing a “lack of respect” for the island.

“The fact that the Americans know very well that we are still in a negotiating situation and that the municipal elections have not yet concluded, they still capitalize on the moment to come to Greenland, once again, which shows a lack of respect for the Greenlandic population,” Greenland’s likely next leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen told Sermitsiaq.

Greenland was a Danish colony from 1721 until 1953, when it was given limited self-governing powers.

In 2009, the island gained further powers related to minerals, policing, and law, but it still relies on authorities in Copenhagen for its defense, foreign, monetary policy and security.

As a Danish territory, Greenland is also part of both the European Union and NATO.

The US delegation’s visit this week is “something we take seriously,” Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told Reuters, adding that Denmark wants cooperation with the US, but based on “the fundamental rules of sovereignty.”

Greenland’s politicians have said they are open to deals with the US relating to rare earth mining, tourism, and stronger diplomatic connections.

Vance’s visit comes after her husband, vice president JD Vance, slammed Denmark for not being a “good ally,” in a further ratcheting up of tensions between Washington and Europe.

“Here’s the thing which I think a lot of folks don’t appreciate about Greenland. It’s really important to our national security,” Vance said in an interview with Fox News on Sunday.

Stating the administration’s desire for the US gaining “more territorial interest in the island, he added, “That is what President Trump is going to do because he doesn’t care what the Europeans scream at us; he cares about putting the interests of American citizens first.”