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Donald Trump has reignited disagreements with Denmark after appointing a special envoy to Greenland, where he said he wanted to annex Greenland.
Trump announced on Sunday that Republican Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry will serve as the U.S. special envoy to Greenland, a semi-autonomous region of the Kingdom of Denmark.
The U.S. president wrote on social media that Landry understood “Greenland is critical to our national security” and would advance U.S. interests.
Greenland’s prime minister said the island must “determine our own future” and its “territorial integrity must be respected”.
The move angered Copenhagen, who will call the U.S. ambassador to demand an “explanation.”
Governor Landry said in a post on
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lok Rasmussen called the appointment “deeply troubling” and warned Washington to respect Danish sovereignty.
“As long as we have a kingdom consisting of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland, we cannot accept actions that undermine our territorial integrity,” he told Danish broadcaster TV2.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen said the territory was willing to cooperate with the United States and other countries, but only with mutual respect.
“The appointment of a special envoy will not change anything for us. We decide our own future. Greenland belongs to Greenlanders and its territorial integrity must be respected,” he said.
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 refused to rule out the use of force to take control of the island, a stance that shocked Denmark, a NATO ally traditionally close to Washington.
Greenland, with a population of about 57,000, has had broad autonomy since 1979, but defense and foreign policy remain in Danish hands. While a majority of Greenlanders support eventual independence from Denmark, polls show an overwhelming majority opposes becoming part of the United States.
The dispute comes amid growing strategic competition in the Arctic, with melting ice opening up new shipping routes and increasing access to valuable mineral resources.
Greenland’s location between North America and Europe also makes it central to U.S. and NATO security planning and makes it the shortest route for missiles between Russia and the United States.
