A diplomatic row is escalating between the U.S. and Denmark over the future of Greenland. President Donald Trump appointed Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry to serve as U.S. special envoy to Greenland on Sunday, prompting Denmark to summon the U.S. ambassador for an explanation.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen expressed deep anger over the appointment of an envoy to the semiautonomous territory, calling it “totally unacceptable.”
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Trump has said he wants to “get” Greenland, even if using force was necessary. In a post on X, Landry made clear the intention of the president’s move: “It’s an honor to serve you in this volunteer position to make Greenland a part of the U.S.”
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Denmark ruled Greenland from the early 1700s until 1979, when home rule began.
Rasmussen told local media that Denmark’s Foreign Ministry will summon the U.S. ambassador “in the coming days” to discussLandry’s appointment. He emphasized that the Danish kingdom is a unified entity including the Faroe Islands and Greenland, warning that Copenhagen “cannot accept” any attempts to erode that sovereignty.
How Trump describes the role
Trump announced Landry’s appointment in a Truth Social post. He said Landry — who will not resign as governor — “understands how essential Greenland is to our National Security.”
He added that Landry “will strongly advance our Country’s Interests for the Safety, Security, and Survival of our Allies, and indeed, the World.”
However, Rasmussen said in a statement that the appointment “confirms the continued American interest in Greenland.”
“We insist that everyone — including the U.S. — must show respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark,” he said.
Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen of Greenland said in a Facebook post that the appointment “doesn’t change anything for us here at home.”
“We will determine our future ourselves,” Nielsen said.
The Associated Press cites a recent Danish intelligence assessment warning that Washington is leveraging its economic might to “assert its will” globally and characterizes the U.S. approach as threatening to use force against “friend and foe alike” amid intensifying great-power competition in the Arctic.
Trump’s Greenland push collides with sovereignty claims
Trump has argued since returning to office this year that controlling Greenland is vital for national security, and he has refused to rule out the use of force to secure it. Situated between North America and Europe, the territory occupies a critical strategic position on the shortest route for missiles between Russia and the United States.
Leaders of both Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly said the island is not for sale and that Greenland will determine its own future. Nielsen wrote on social media that “Greenland is our country” and that “territorial integrity must be respected.” He stressed that “Greenland belongs to Greenlanders.”
Polling has shown that a majority of Greenland’s 57,000 residents favor independence from Copenhagen, but they have no desire to be annexed by Washington. Denmark also summoned the U.S. ambassador in August after reports of attempted interference in Greenland. Danish media reported on covert operations involving people connected to Trump, including efforts in Nuuk to gauge local support for an American presence.
