Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance are receiving a chilly reception during their visit to Greenland. The two, along with national security adviser Mike Waltz, are visiting the American military base on the island today as part of a revised and shortened itinerary.

Before adjusting the itinerary, White House officials suggested the Trump administration would be welcomed in Greenland. But officials decided to scale back the visit.

“This is a visit to learn about Greenland, its culture, history, and people and to attend a dogsled race the United States is proud to sponsor, plain and simple,” said National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes.

News of today's visit has not been well received by locals in the wake of President Donald Trump's continued suggestions that the U.S. take control of the Arctic nation.

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"We need Greenland for national security and international security. So we'll, I think, we'll go as far as we have to go," President Donald Trump said earlier this week.

Greenland Prime Minister Mette Egede said Vance's visit was not considered official and that Greenland has been treated "unacceptably."

Although Greenland has a harsh climate with a small population, climate change has made the territory more attractive for mining.

With climate change causing much of Greenland's ice to melt, University College London researchers say now is a critical time for the future of Greenland.

Greenland is a semi-autonomous part of Denmark. Although Greenland has its own government, it relies on Denmark for its national security and currency.