Trump’s Greenland obsession gets official: President taps MAGA ally as Greenland envoy; Denmark warns on sovereignty

If geopolitics had a sense of humour, this would be the punchline. President Donald Trump has nominated a MAGA ally as the United States’ first-ever special envoy to Greenland — a job that didn’t exist until Trump’s long-running fascination with the ice-covered island refused to melt away. The move, announced Sunday, immediately set off alarm bells in Denmark, which quickly reminded Washington that Greenland is not, in fact, on the clearance rack for American expansion.Trump said in a statement, “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.”Landry, who took office in January 2024 and whose term ends in January 2028, described it as a “volunteer position.” “It’s an honor to serve you in this volunteer position to make Greenland a part of the U.S.,” he wrote on X. He added, “This in no way affects my position as Governor of Louisiana!”On Monday, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said in a brief statement emailed to ABC News that “the appointment confirms the continued American interest in Greenland.” “However, we insist that everyone—including the U.S.—must show respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark,” he added. In separate remarks to TV2, he called the nomination “completely unacceptable” and said he would demand an “explanation” from the US ambassador. “As long as we have a kingdom in Denmark that consists of Denmark, the Faroe Islands, and Greenland, we cannot accept that there are those who undermine our sovereignty,” he said.Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said Landry’s appointment “doesn’t change anything for us here at home.” He wrote on social media, “We will determine our future ourselves. Greenland is our country,” adding, “Greenland belongs to Greenlanders, and territorial integrity must be respected.”Earlier this month, the Danish Defence Intelligence Service reported that the United States was leveraging its economic clout to “assert its will” and was willing to threaten military force against both allies and adversaries. The report highlighted the growing “strategic importance of the Arctic” amid the intensifying conflict “between Russia and the West.”Trump had long harboured ambitions to assume jurisdiction over Greenland. During his presidential transition and the opening months of his second term, he repeatedly pushed for the United States to assume control of the island and declined to rule out using military force. “For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity,” he wrote on Truth Social exactly a year ago.On March 28-2025, Vice President JD Vance travelled to Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, where he accused Denmark of failing to invest adequately in the territory. The dispute later resurfaced in August when Danish officials summoned the US ambassador after reports that at least three individuals with ties to Trump had conducted covert influence operations in Greenland. Trump had appointed Ken Howery, a co-founder of PayPal, as US ambassador to Denmark last year.