Trump: US ‘Has to Have’ Greenland After Envoy Move
Trump appoints a Greenland envoy, igniting a Denmark clash as US national security concerns and Arctic geopolitics take center stage.
Donald Trump has sparked a new dispute with Denmark by appointing a special envoy for Greenland, the vast Arctic island he once said he wanted to acquire for the United States.
Responding to a question about the new role for Louisiana Republican Governor Jeff Landry, Trump said the US needed Greenland for "national security" and that "we need it."
He said Landry would "lead the charge" as special envoy for Greenland, a semi-autonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
The move angered Copenhagen, which said it would summon the US ambassador for "clarification." Greenland's prime minister said the island should "determine its own future" and that its "territorial integrity must be respected."
Governor Landry said in a post on X that it was an honor to "serve in a volunteer capacity to help make Greenland part of the United States."
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has revived his long-standing interest in Greenland, citing its strategic location and mineral wealth.
He has not ruled out the possibility of using force to gain control of the island, a stance that has alarmed Denmark, a NATO ally that has traditionally enjoyed close ties with Washington.
Trump added, "We have to work on it. We need Greenland for national security, not for the minerals."
Trump specifically mentioned Chinese and Russian ships in nearby waters as potential threats.
Home to approximately 57,000 people, Greenland has had extensive self-governance since 1979, although defense and foreign policy remain in Danish hands. While most Greenlanders favor eventual independence from Denmark, opinion polls show overwhelming opposition to becoming part of the United States. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen called Landry's appointment "extremely disturbing" and warned Washington to respect Danish sovereignty.
He told Danish broadcaster TV2: "As long as we have a kingdom consisting of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland, we cannot accept actions that undermine our territorial integrity."
Greenland's Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, said the territory is ready to cooperate with the US and other countries, but only on the basis of mutual respect.
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He said: "The appointment of a special envoy changes nothing for us. We determine our own future. Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders, and territorial integrity must be respected." European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a post on X that the EU stands "in full solidarity with the people of Denmark and Greenland."
Earlier, writing on social media, the US president said that Landry understands "how important Greenland is to our national security" and that he will advance American interests.
The significance of this appointment is that the US is treating Greenland as separate from Denmark, and the newly appointed individual claims he will help the island become part of the United States.
Envoys are informal appointments and, unlike official diplomats, do not require approval from the host country.
This appointment shows that Trump's ambition to gain control of Greenland has not diminished.
Like his military and rhetorical aggression towards Venezuela, it indicates that Trump is determined to gain greater control over what his recent national security strategy called the "Western Hemisphere," a sphere of influence he hopes will encompass all of the Americas.
Trump attempted to buy Greenland during his first presidential term. Both the Danish and Greenlandic governments rejected the 2019 proposal, stating: "Greenland is not for sale."
Landry has previously expressed his views on Greenland, writing on his personal X account in January: "President Donald J. Trump is absolutely right! We need to make sure Greenland becomes part of the United States. Great for them, great for us! Let's do it!"
Landry is a military veteran and former police officer who served as a U.S. Congressman and Louisiana Attorney General before being elected governor in 2023. He said his new role would not affect his duties as governor.
His appointment comes amid increasing strategic competition in the Arctic, as melting ice opens new shipping routes and provides access to valuable mineral resources.
Greenland is located in the Arctic between North America and Europe, making it central to U.S. and NATO security planning.
The U.S. has maintained a base in Greenland since World War II, when the Nazis occupied Denmark during the conflict, prompting the U.S. to establish military and radio stations throughout the territory.
Vice President J.D. Vance visited the base in March and urged the people of Greenland to "make a deal with America." The U.S. reopened its consulate in Nuuk, Greenland's capital, in 2020 – during Trump's first term.
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