Anger in the Arctic: Trump Appoints Greenland Envoy

President Donald Trump’s decision to appoint Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as a special envoy to Greenland has sharpened an already sensitive geopolitical fault line in the Arctic, prompting a swift and pointed response from Denmark and renewed unease in Greenland itself.

Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said the appointment clearly signals “continued American interest in Greenland,” but stressed that such interest comes with limits. “We insist that everyone – including the U.S. – must show respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark,” Rasmussen said in a written statement. The message was polite, firm, and unmistakably defensive, underscoring how raw the issue remains.

Trump announced Landry’s appointment on social media, praising him as someone who understands Greenland’s importance to US national security and will push American interests forcefully. While the administration has not clarified Landry’s formal powers, the symbolism alone is enough to raise eyebrows. Trump has repeatedly argued that Greenland should be under US control, framing the idea as a strategic necessity rather than a diplomatic fantasy.

Greenland, a self-governing territory within Denmark, sits at the center of growing great-power competition in the Arctic. Its location makes it vital for missile defense, satellite tracking, and control of emerging shipping routes as polar ice retreats. The island is also believed to hold valuable mineral resources, including rare earth elements, further amplifying foreign interest.

Trump’s past rhetoric about acquiring Greenland, including open talk of buying it, was rejected outright by both Copenhagen and Nuuk. Greenlandic leaders have consistently said the island’s future is for its people to decide, even as they acknowledge the need for close cooperation with the United States on security matters. That cooperation already exists in the form of the US military presence at Pituffik Space Base in northern Greenland.

The appointment of Landry suggests the White House is not backing away from its long-term ambitions. Landry himself has publicly endorsed the idea of Greenland becoming part of the US, calling it beneficial for both sides. He has said the envoy role is voluntary and will not affect his position as Louisiana’s governor, a statement that raises further questions about how seriously the administration intends the post to be taken.

For Denmark, the concern is less about immediate annexation and more about erosion of norms. Danish officials believe Trump initially tried to strong-arm Copenhagen before pivoting to a strategy aimed directly at Greenland, appealing over Denmark’s head. That approach risks inflaming nationalist sentiment in Greenland while putting local politicians in an impossible position between economic opportunity and political autonomy.

Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt has warned that repeated US statements about the island’s future create uncertainty among residents. While Greenland wants investment and deeper security ties, officials have been clear that cooperation must be built on respect, not pressure.

Landry’s appointment ensures that Greenland will remain a flashpoint in US-European relations. It also makes clear that under Trump, American interest in the Arctic is not a passing obsession but a sustained strategic priority, one that Denmark and Greenland are now openly pushing back against.