Trump Says U.S. Needs Greenland for Security, Names Envoy

U.S. President Donald Trump has appointed Jeff Landry, the governor of Louisiana, as special envoy to Greenland, reopening a sensitive diplomatic issue involving Denmark and the Arctic region.

Trump announced the decision on December 22, saying Greenland holds strategic value for U.S. national security and long-term geopolitical interests. The role, according to the former president, is aimed at strengthening U.S. engagement in the Arctic, where military positioning, shipping routes, and access to natural resources are gaining importance.

Landry said he would take on the envoy position in a voluntary capacity while continuing his duties as governor. He said the assignment reflects the administration’s focus on protecting American interests abroad and ensuring a stronger U.S. presence in strategically important regions. The White House did not outline a formal mandate, timeline, or diplomatic framework for the envoy’s work.

• Trump appoints envoy as U.S. renews focus on Greenland security
• U.S.-Denmark tensions resurface over Greenland strategic role
• Trump says Greenland vital to U.S. Arctic security interests

Greenland is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark and has control over most domestic affairs, while Copenhagen manages foreign policy and defence. The island has been central to past controversy after Trump, during his earlier presidency, openly suggested that the United States should acquire Greenland, a proposal that was firmly rejected by Danish and Greenlandic leaders.

Denmark responded sharply to the new announcement. Danish officials said the appointment was inappropriate and stressed that Greenland’s political status is not open to negotiation. Copenhagen reiterated that Greenland’s future can only be decided by its residents and described renewed U.S. rhetoric on the island as damaging to diplomatic relations.

Greenland’s government also dismissed any suggestion of a change in sovereignty, stating that the envoy’s appointment does not alter the island’s relationship with Denmark or its path toward greater self-determination.

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Analysts say the move risks straining U.S.-Denmark relations at a time when NATO allies are seeking unity on Arctic security, defence coordination, and climate policy. While Washington continues to view Greenland as strategically important, Danish and Greenlandic leaders maintain that the territory is not for sale or transfer.