US President Donald Trump has reignited a feud with Denmark after appointing a special envoy to Greenland, an Arctic island he said he wanted to annex.
President Trump announced Sunday that Republican Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry will become the U.S. envoy to Greenland, a semi-autonomous region of the Kingdom of Denmark.
In a post on
Greenland’s prime minister said “the island must decide our own future” and “territorial integrity must be respected.”
The move angered Copenhagen, which plans to ask the US ambassador for an “explanation”.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen described the appointment as “deeply disturbing” and warned the United States to respect Danish sovereignty.
“As long as there is a kingdom made up of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland, we cannot tolerate actions that undermine its territorial integrity,” he told Danish broadcaster TV2.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said his country was willing to cooperate with the United States and other countries, but only on the basis of mutual respect.
“The appointment of a special envoy changes nothing for us. We decide our own future. Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders and its territorial integrity must be respected,” he said.
The U.S. president wrote on social media that Landry understands “how essential Greenland is to our national security” and will advance U.S. interests.
President Trump, who returned to the White House in January, revived long-standing interest in Greenland, citing its strategic location and rich mineral resources.
He has not ruled out using force to secure control of the island, a stance that has shocked Denmark, a NATO ally that has traditionally enjoyed close ties with Washington.
Greenland, with a population of about 57,000, has had broad autonomy since 1979, but its defense and foreign policy remain in Danish hands. Most Greenlanders favor independence from Denmark, but opinion polls show overwhelming opposition to becoming part of the United States.
The United States has many special envoys. Some vary by country and region. Others address specific issues.
But the significance of this appointment lies both in the US presumption that Greenland is separate from Denmark and in the new appointee’s claim that he will help Greenland become part of the United States.
Special envoys are informal appointments and, unlike official diplomats, do not require approval from the host country.
What this appointment shows is that Trump’s ambitions to control Greenland remain undimmed.
As with his military and rhetorical attacks on Venezuela, the president is determined to gain greater control over what he calls the “Western Hemisphere” in his latest national security strategy. This area is expected to cover the entire American continent.
Landry, Trump’s new envoy, has previously expressed his opinions on Greenland, writing on his personal X account in January: “President Donald J. Trump is absolutely right! We need to get Greenland to join the United States. Good for them, good for us! Let’s get it done!”
Landry said his new role will not affect his duties as governor of Louisiana. He is a military veteran and former police officer who served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and Louisiana Attorney General before being elected governor in 2023.
He welcomed the president’s proposal to send National Guard troops to New Orleans as part of an effort to combat crime in American cities.
The controversy over Landry’s appointment comes as strategic competition in the Arctic intensifies as ice melt opens new shipping routes and increases access to precious mineral resources.
Greenland’s location between North America and Europe makes it central to U.S. and NATO security plans and puts it on the shortest route for missiles between Russia and the United States.
The United States has maintained a base in Greenland since World War II, after the Nazis invaded Denmark during the war to establish military and radio stations throughout the territory.
Vice President JD Vance visited the base in March, calling on Greenlanders to “make a deal with America.”
The United States reopened a consulate in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, in 2020, during President Trump’s first term in 1953. Several European countries, including Canada, have honorary consulates in Greenland.
