Second Lady Usha Vance, the wife of the United States Vice President JD Vance, is due to visit the autonomous Danish territory of Greenland this week, the White House said Sunday.

Vance will be accompanied by one of her three children as part of a US delegation that will also include President Donald Trump's National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

During the three-day trip, which begins Thursday, Vance will view historical sites, learn about Greenland's heritage, and watch the Avannaata Qimussersu, the Arctic territory's national dogsled race, the White House said in a statement.

"Ms. Vance and the delegation are excited to witness this monumental race and celebrate Greenlandic culture and unity," the statement said.

A US official said that Waltz and Wright were expected to visit a US military base in Greenland during the trip.

Why does Trump want to take control of Greenland?

The visit comes as Trump eyes seizing control of the mineral-rich territory, which is strategically located in the Arctic Ocean between Europe and North America.

Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has repeatedly said that he wants the US to take over Greenland for national security reasons, refusing to rule out using force to do so.

The territory is part of Denmark, a US ally and fellow member of NATO.

In an interview Sunday with Greenlandic daily Sermitsiaq, Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the US delegation's visit "cannot be seen independently of the public statements" Trump has made.

"We want to work with the Americans," Frederiksen told Sermitsiaq. "But it must and shall be a cooperation based on the fundamental values of sovereignty and respect between countries and peoples. This is something we take seriously," she added.

Polls suggest that a majority of Greenland residents support independence from Denmark but are against being annexed by Washington.

A Greenlandic party that favors gradual independence from Copenhagen won a recent general election in the territory.

Edited by: Wesley Dockery