Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen announced on Monday that he will summon U.S. Ambassador to Denmark Kenneth Howery for talks after President Donald Trump named Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as the United States special envoy to Greenland.
Landry took to X to thank the president and called it an "honor to serve you as a volunteer to make Greenland a part of the United States," while clarifying that his new role "in no way affects" his duties as Louisiana's governor.
The appointment drew sharp reactions in Copenhagen. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen issued a joint statement urging the United States to respect the Kingdom of Denmark's territorial integrity. "You cannot annex other countries… Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders," they said.
Rasmussen told broadcaster DR that although the envoy role highlights continued American interest in the Arctic, "everyone, including the U.S., must show respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark."
Since taking office, President Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in Greenland, even suggesting military or economic coercion to achieve his aims.
Greenland, a former Danish colony, became an integral part of the Kingdom of Denmark in 1953 and gained home rule in 1979. Today, Copenhagen handles Greenland's foreign affairs, defense, monetary policy and judicial system, while the island relies on subsidies equivalent to one-fifth of its GDP and its fishing sector.
A recent poll in Sermitsiaq found that 85 percent of Greenland residents oppose joining the United States, with only six percent in favor. The debate underscores the island's strategic value and the rising geopolitical stakes in the Arctic.
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Denmark to summon U.S. ambassador over Trump's new Greenland envoy
cgtn.com