On Monday (Dec 22), Denmark’s foreign ministry officially summoned the US ambassador in Copenhagen after President Donald Trump announced Louisiana governor Jeff Landry as a special envoy to Greenland – a move that has Denmark fuming 🤯.
Since returning to the White House in January 2025, Trump has made it clear he sees Greenland as vital for US national security. He’s refused to rule out force to secure the island and, this past weekend, said on Truth Social that envoy Landry 'understands how essential Greenland is to our national security.' Landry even wrote on X that he’s honored to help 'make Greenland a part of the US.'
But Denmark isn’t having it. Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen called the appointment 'totally unacceptable' and warned Washington to respect the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark, which includes Greenland and the Faroe Islands.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen joined forces in a joint statement: 'You cannot annex another country. Not even with an argument about international security. We expect respect for our joint territorial integrity.' Greenlanders, they stress, will decide their own future. 'Greenland belongs to Greenlanders,' Nielsen wrote on Facebook.
The European Commission also weighed in, backing Denmark’s stance. A spokesperson reminded reporters this week that preserving the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark is essential for the EU.
Why all the fuss? Greenland is becoming a hot spot in the race for rare earths and new Arctic shipping routes as ice melts. It also sits on the shortest missile route between Russia and the United States. The US already has the Pituffik military base there and opened a consulate in Nuuk in June 2020.
With US and Russian interest on the rise, and local polls showing most of Greenland’s 57,000 residents favor independence from Denmark but not joining the US, this spat is far from over. Stay tuned for the next episode in Arctic diplomacy! 🧊🌍
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
