Greenland outraged after Trump appoints envoy to make country ‘part of the US’

The leaders of Denmark and Greenland have insisted the US will not take over the latter, and are demanding respect for the island’s territorial integrity following President Donald Trump’s appointment of a special envoy.

On Sunday Trump named Louisiana governor Jeff Landry as the US special envoy to Greenland, reigniting tensions over Washington’s interest in the vast, semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, which is a NATO ally.

The Danish foreign minister, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, announced he would summon the US ambassador to Copenhagen, expressing particular dismay at Landry’s endorsement of Trump’s stated aim.

In a joint statement, Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen and her Greenlandic counterpart, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, declared: “We have said it before. Now, we say it again: national borders and the sovereignty of states are rooted in international law. They are fundamental principles. You cannot annex another country. Not even with an argument about international security.

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“Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders, and the US shall not take over Greenland. We expect respect for our joint territorial integrity.”

The Trump administration put further pressure on Copenhagen on Monday, when it suspended leases for five large offshore wind projects being built off the East Coast of the U.S., including two being developed by Denmark’s state-controlled Orsted.

Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire for Greenland, which is largely self-governing, to become part of the United States, citing security concerns and its valuable mineral resources. He stated on Truth Social: “Jeff understands how essential Greenland is to our National Security, and will strongly advance our Country’s Interests for the Safety, Security, and Survival of our Allies, and indeed, the World.”

The White House did not respond immediately to requests for comment.

Landry, who took office as Louisiana governor in January 2024, thanked the president on X (Twitter), saying: “It’s an honor to serve ... in this volunteer position to make Greenland a part of the US. This in no way affects my position as Governor of Louisiana!”

Greenland and Denmark have consistently rejected that idea.

Rasmussen, the foreign minister, told Denmark’s TV 2: “I am deeply upset by this appointment of a special envoy. And I am particularly upset by his statements, which we find completely unacceptable.”

Earlier, in an emailed statement to Reuters, he said: “We insist that everyone, including the U.S., must show respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark.”

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Nielsen, the Greenland prime minister, said in a post on Facebook: “We have woken up again to a new announcement from the US president. This may sound big, but it does not change anything for us. We decide our own future.”

Aaja Chemnitz, a Greenlandic member of the Danish parliament, said the appointment of a US envoy was not in itself a problem.

“The problem is that he’s been given the task of taking over Greenland or making Greenland part of the United States, and there is no desire for that in Greenland,” Ms Chemnitz told Reuters. “There is a desire to respect the future that a majority in Greenland wants, namely to remain their own country and develop their independence over time.”

Seeking to mitigate tensions with the Trump administration over the past year, Denmark, a NATO ally, has focused on strengthening Greenland’s defence to address White House claims of inadequate security.

Greenland, a former Danish colony with a population of about 57,000, has the right to declare independence under a 2009 agreement but remains heavily reliant on fishing and Danish subsidies.

Its strategic position between Europe and North America makes it a key site for the U.S. ballistic missile defence system, while its mineral wealth has heightened U.S. interest in reducing reliance on Chinese exports.

Additional reporting by AP