Denmark, Greenland condemn Trump envoy as Landry insists U.S. won’t 'conquer' island
President Trump’s naming of Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry as U.S. special envoy to Greenland prompted sharp rebukes from Denmark and Greenland — Copenhagen says it will summon the U.S. ambassador and Danish and Greenlandic leaders issued joint statements insisting Greenland’s sovereignty must be respected and that “you cannot annex another country.” Landry, who called the post a volunteer role and said the U.S. will not “conquer” Greenland and intends to hold talks with locals, nevertheless echoed Trump’s and his own public statements about bringing Greenland into the United States, remarks that have intensified Danish concern about U.S. pressure and prior covert influence efforts.
📌 Key Facts
- President Trump announced on Truth Social that Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry is the "United States Special Envoy to Greenland," praising Landry and framing Greenland as essential to U.S. national security and global freedom; Trump has previously said U.S. "ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity" and has not ruled out military force.
- Jeff Landry said the envoy role is a volunteer position that will not affect his duties as governor, explicitly stated his goal is "to make Greenland a part of the U.S.," and in a Fox News interview insisted the U.S. will "not...conquer" Greenland while emphasizing dialogue with Greenlanders about their needs.
- Denmark condemned the appointment, saying it will summon the U.S. ambassador for an explanation; Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen called the move "totally unacceptable" and said it undermines the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark (Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland).
- Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen issued a joint statement stressing that national borders and sovereignty are rooted in international law, declaring, "You cannot annex another country," and asserting "Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders."
- Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the U.S. announcement "changes nothing for us here at home," reiterated that Greenlanders will determine their own future, and a January poll found most Greenlanders want independence from Denmark but do not want to become part of the U.S.
- Denmark says it received no advance warning of the announcement; the move follows earlier tensions this year when Denmark summoned U.S. diplomats over reported covert influence efforts in Nuuk and after U.S. officials (including Vice President JD Vance) publicly criticized Danish investment in Greenlandic defenses.
- Danish security assessments and reporting note a pattern in which Copenhagen views recent U.S. actions under Trump as coercive — using economic pressure and threats of force — as Arctic strategic importance rises, and officials expected but did not see Greenland or the Arctic addressed in the new U.S. National Security Strategy.
- Overall, Danish and Greenlandic leaders portray the appointment as part of an ongoing pattern of U.S. pressure and influence operations in Greenland, prompting diplomatic pushback and demands for respect for Denmark and Greenland’s joint territorial integrity.
📊 Relevant Data
Greenland's population in 2025 is estimated at 55,745 people, with approximately 88% being Greenlandic Inuit and the remaining mostly of European descent.
Greenland Population (2025) - Worldometer — Worldometer
A January 2025 poll found that 84% of Greenlanders support independence from Denmark, but 85% oppose becoming part of the United States.
Virtually no Greenlanders want to join the US, new poll finds — Euractiv
Greenland's strategic importance to US national security includes its location in the Arctic for monitoring Russian and Chinese military activity, and it hosts the US Thule Air Base as part of ballistic missile early-warning systems.
What Would Greenland’s Independence Mean for U.S. Interests? — Council on Foreign Relations
Greenland has significant mineral resources, including rare earth elements, zinc, lead, gold, and diamonds, which are becoming more accessible due to climate change melting Arctic ice.
Key details of Greenland's rich but largely untapped mineral resources — Reuters
Greenland's economy relies heavily on an annual subsidy from Denmark amounting to around $600 million, which supports its GDP of just over $3 billion, primarily from fishing and the public sector.
The Inuit population in Greenland constitutes 85-90% of the total, with the official language being Greenlandic (Kalaallisut), spoken by about 50,000 people.
Demographics of Greenland - Wikipedia — Wikipedia
Greenland's mineral strategy for 2025-2029 aims to promote sustainable development of resources like critical raw materials to achieve economic self-sufficiency and potential independence.
GREENLAND MINERAL RESOURCES STRATEGY 2025-2029 — Government of Greenland
📰 Sources (6)
- Jeff Landry, in a Fox News interview, said the U.S. is 'not going to go in there trying to conquer anybody' or 'take over anybody's country' and emphasized opening a dialogue with Greenlanders about their needs and protection.
- Landry characterized the U.S. as 'always been a welcoming party' and framed his role around understanding what opportunities Greenlanders feel they have not received.
- The article reiterates that President Trump has repeatedly described U.S. 'ownership and control of Greenland' as an 'absolute necessity' for national security and said in January 2025 that Greenland would 'benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our Nation,' ending with the slogan 'MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!'
- Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen issued a joint written statement stressing that national borders and sovereignty are rooted in international law and declaring, 'You cannot annex another country. Not even with an argument about international security.'
- The joint statement explicitly asserts, 'Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders and the U.S. shall not take over Greenland,' and demands respect for Denmark and Greenland’s 'joint territorial integrity.'
- Greenland’s Nielsen released a separate statement saying the U.S. announcement 'changes nothing for us here at home,' emphasizing Greenland’s own democracy and willingness to cooperate only with respect for its values and wishes.
- The article confirms that Landry publicly described his role as a 'volunteer position to make Greenland a part of the U.S.,' reinforcing how his own framing is fueling the sovereignty dispute.
- A Danish government official, speaking on background, said Copenhagen received no advance warning of Trump’s envoy announcement and had expected the new U.S. National Security Strategy to telegraph an aggressive Arctic posture, but it in fact contained no mention of Greenland or the Arctic.
- The piece notes Vice President JD Vance visited a remote U.S. military base in Greenland in March and accused Denmark of under-investing there, placing the current flare-up in a pattern of U.S. pressure over Greenland.
- It recalls that in August Danish officials had already summoned the top U.S. diplomat in Copenhagen over reports of covert influence operations in Greenland by people linked to Trump, underscoring this is an escalation of an ongoing dispute, not an isolated incident.
- The story references a recent Danish Defense Intelligence Service report stating the U.S. is using economic power to 'assert its will' and threaten military force, suggesting Danish security services view U.S. Greenland policy as coercive.
- Provides Trump’s full public statement praising Landry and framing Greenland as essential to U.S. and allied security.
- Details that Trump has repeatedly called for U.S. jurisdiction over Greenland and 'has not ruled out military force' to take control of the island.
- Reports Landry’s own response on X calling it a 'volunteer position' and explicitly saying his goal is to 'make Greenland a part of the U.S.' and that it will not affect his governorship.
- Notes prior Danish reaction this year, including summoning the U.S. ambassador over reported covert influence operations in Greenland by figures linked to Trump.
- Adds context from the Danish Defense Intelligence Service’s recent annual assessment that the U.S. under Trump is using economic power and threats of force against both friends and foes as Arctic strategic importance rises.
- Denmark’s foreign minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen says Denmark will summon the U.S. ambassador in the coming days to seek an explanation for Trump’s appointment of Jeff Landry as special envoy to Greenland and related statements.
- Rasmussen calls the appointment and comments by Trump and Landry 'totally unacceptable' and says Denmark cannot accept actions that undermine the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark (Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland).
- Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen responds that the appointment 'doesn't change anything for us here at home,' states 'Greenland belongs to Greenlanders,' and insists Greenland will determine its own future.
- The article notes a January opinion poll finding that the vast majority of Greenland’s 57,000 people want independence from Denmark but do not wish to become part of the United States.
- The story recalls that in August Denmark previously summoned the U.S. chargé d’affaires after reports that U.S. officials close to Trump were in Nuuk identifying figures for and against closer ties with the U.S., framing this as part of a pattern of American pressure.
- Trump is quoted as having told reporters 'We need Greenland, very importantly, for international security' and that 'We have to have Greenland,' underscoring his strategic framing and refusal to rule out force.
- Quotes Trump’s full Truth Social announcement language calling Landry the 'United States Special Envoy to Greenland' and framing Greenland as essential to U.S. national security and global freedom.
- Reports Jeff Landry’s response on X thanking Trump, stating the role is a volunteer position, explicitly saying it is 'to make Greenland a part of the U.S.,' and that it will not affect his duties as governor.
- Includes Denmark Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen’s statement (via Reuters) welcoming continued U.S. interest but insisting all parties, including the U.S., must respect the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark.
- Reiterates Trump’s prior public statements from December 2024 and January 2025 on Truth Social asserting that U.S. 'ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity' and using the slogan 'MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN!'