Donald Trump names special envoy to Greenland, says US ‘has to have it’
Guwahati: US President Donald Trump has triggered a diplomatic dispute with Denmark by naming Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as a special envoy to Greenland and reiterating his desire to bring the Arctic island under American control.
Responding to a BBC query on the appointment, Trump said the United States required Greenland for “national protection” and asserted that Washington “has to have it.” He said Landry would “lead the charge” in his new role as envoy to Greenland, which functions as a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.
The move drew an immediate reaction from Copenhagen. Denmark’s government said it would summon the US ambassador to seek an explanation, while Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen described the appointment as “deeply upsetting” and warned Washington against undermining Danish sovereignty. He said Denmark could not accept any steps that threatened the territorial integrity of a kingdom comprising Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen also rejected Trump’s remarks, saying the island’s future lay solely in the hands of its people. While expressing openness to cooperation with the United States and other countries, Nielsen stressed that Greenland’s territorial integrity must be respected and that the appointment of a special envoy would not alter that position.
Landry, a Republican and close Trump ally, said in a post on X that he was honoured to take up what he described as a voluntary role aimed at making Greenland part of the United States. He later said the appointment would not interfere with his responsibilities as Louisiana’s governor.
Since returning to office in January, Trump has revived his long-standing interest in Greenland, pointing to its strategic location in the Arctic. He has argued that US control over the island is necessary for national security and cited the presence of Chinese and Russian vessels in surrounding waters as a concern. Trump has also refused to rule out the use of force to secure control of the territory, a stance that has alarmed Denmark, a Nato ally.
Greenland, with a population of about 57,000, has enjoyed extensive self-rule since 1979, although Copenhagen retains authority over defence and foreign affairs. While many Greenlanders support eventual independence from Denmark, opinion polls consistently show strong opposition to joining the United States.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union stood in full solidarity with Denmark and the people of Greenland. Writing on social media, Trump said Landry understood how “essential Greenland is to our national security” and would advance US interests.
Envoy appointments do not require approval from host governments and carry no formal diplomatic status, but the decision has reinforced concerns in Europe over Washington’s intentions. Trump previously sought to purchase Greenland during his first term, a proposal rejected by both Denmark and Greenland in 2019, when leaders said the island was not for sale.
Landry, a military veteran and former police officer, served as a US congressman and Louisiana attorney general before becoming governor in 2023. He has publicly backed Trump’s Greenland ambitions, previously writing that the island joining the US would benefit both sides.
The dispute unfolds amid growing strategic competition in the Arctic, where melting ice is opening new shipping routes and access to mineral resources. Greenland’s location between North America and Europe places it at the centre of US and Nato security planning. The US has maintained a military presence on the island since World War II and reopened a consulate in Nuuk in 2020, during Trump’s first presidency.