Donald Trump has sparked a new conflict with Denmark after appointing a special envoy to Greenland, a territory he has previously indicated a desire to annex into the United States.
On Sunday (21 Dec 2025 GMT+7), U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Jeff Landry, the Republican governor of Louisiana, would serve as the United States' special envoy to Greenland, a self-governing territory under the Kingdom of Denmark.
Governor Landry stated in a post on X that he felt honored to serve in the "volunteer position to make Greenland part of the United States."
This move has angered the Danish government, which said it would summon the U.S. ambassador for "clarification," while Greenland's prime minister said that the people of Greenland must be the ones to "determine their own future" and that "territorial integrity must be respected."
Since returning to the White House in January, Donald Trump has once again expressed interest in Greenland, a territory he hinted at wanting since his first presidential term, citing its strategic position and rich mineral resources.
Trump has not ruled out the possibility of using force to take control of the island, a stance that has shocked Denmark, a NATO ally with close ties to the U.S. government.
Greenland is home to about 57,000 people and has enjoyed broad self-governance since 1979, although defense and foreign policy remain under Danish control.
Most Greenlanders support eventual independence from Denmark, but opinion polls show the vast majority strongly oppose becoming part of the United States.
Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Denmark's foreign minister, told Danish TV station TV2 that Landry's appointment was "extremely concerning" and warned Washington to respect Denmark's sovereignty.
"As long as we have a kingdom consisting of Denmark, the Faroe Islands, and Greenland, we cannot accept any actions that undermine our territorial integrity," Rasmussen said.
Greenland's prime minister, Jens Frederik Nielsen, said the territory is ready to cooperate with the United States and other countries, but only on the basis of mutual respect.
He said, "The appointment of a special envoy changes nothing for us. We determine our own future. Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders, and territorial integrity must be respected."
Analysts view this appointment as a sign that Trump's ambition to control Greenland remains strong.
Similar to his use of military force and aggressive rhetoric towards Venezuela, this indicates Trump is committed to controlling what his latest National Security Strategy calls the "Western Hemisphere," an area of influence he hopes will cover all of the American continent.
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Source:bbc