On December 22, 2025, Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen announced he would summon the US ambassador in Copenhagen after President Donald Trump appointed a special envoy to Greenland. The envoy, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, immediately pledged to make the Danish autonomous territory 'a part of the US', triggering a diplomatic standoff.
Since his return to the White House in January 2025, President Trump has repeatedly asserted that the resource-rich island is critical for US national security and has not ruled out using force to secure it. On December 21, he tapped Governor Landry for the voluntary envoy role, praising his understanding of Greenland's strategic importance on Truth Social.
Landry took to X to respond: 'It’s an honor to serve you in this volunteer position to make Greenland a part of the US'.
Rasmussen called the move 'deeply angering' and demanded respect for Denmark's sovereignty over Greenland, which has been part of the Kingdom since 1721. He stressed international law protects national borders and state sovereignty.
In a joint statement, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen reminded the world that 'you cannot annex another country, not even with an argument about security', and affirmed that Greenland's future belongs to its 57,000 residents.
The European Commission voiced firm support for Denmark on December 22, emphasizing the importance of preserving the Kingdom's territorial integrity for the European Union.
Greenland’s Geopolitical StakesGreenland’s location between North America and Europe has drawn rising interest from the US and Russia as melting ice opens new shipping lanes. A January 2025 poll found most Greenland residents favor independence from Denmark but oppose becoming part of the US. Key factors include:
- Rich reserves of rare earth minerals and potential oil and gas
- Emerging Arctic shipping routes as ice retreats
- Proximity to missile paths between Russia and the US
- Pituffik military base, a cornerstone of US missile-defense infrastructure
Denmark recently unveiled a $2 billion plan to boost its Arctic military presence, underscoring the region’s growing strategic significance amid global competition for resources and trade routes.
As tensions simmer, the standoff over Greenland highlights the evolving geopolitics of the Arctic, where sovereignty, security and climate change intersect.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
