The prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland on Monday demanded that Washington respect their sovereignty and insisted that the U.S. will not take control of Greenland, a day after President Trump appointed Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry as special envoy to the island territory.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen blasted the appointment in a joint statement. The two leaders cited international law and said the U.S. cannot “annex another country.”
“Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders and the U.S. shall not take over Greenland,” their statement reads. “We expect respect for our joint territorial integrity.”
Separately, Mr. Nielsen said Greenland is happy to work with the U.S., but its territorial sovereignty must be respected.
“We decide our own future. Greenland is our country. We have our own democracy, our own decisions, and a strong community that stands firm,” Mr. Nielsen posted on Facebook. “We are happy to cooperate with other countries, including the United States, but this must always be done with respect for us and for our values and wishes.”
Mr. Trump appointed Mr. Landry as special envoy to Greenland on Sunday, making it clear the Republican governor will use the position to further U.S. interests in the region.
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“Jeff understands how essential Greenland is to our National Security, and will strongly advance our Country’s Interests for the Safety, Security, and Survival of our Allies, and indeed, the World,” Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social.
Since returning to the White House in January, Mr. Trump has repeatedly insisted that Greenland should become a U.S. territory. The president and his allies assert that the island’s strategic location and minerals are essential for U.S. security.
In a post on X Monday, Mr. Landry thanked Mr. Trump for the appointment, clarifying that it would not affect his duties as Louisiana governor and adding that he was excited to “make Greenland a part of the U.S.”
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told reporters on Monday that Mr. Landry’s statements on Greenland’s sovereignty are “completely unacceptable” and that he would summon U.S. Ambassador to Denmark Ken Howery to Copenhagen to answer questions concerning his position.
“As long as we have a kingdom in Denmark that consists of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland, we cannot accept that there are those who undermine our sovereignty,” Mr. Lokke Rasmussen said.
The appointment is unlikely to ease tensions between Copenhagen and Washington, which have been simmering since Mr. Trump first made his claims on Greenland. Vice President J.D. Vance also failed to warm relations during a visit in March, when he refused to contradict the president’s vision and criticized Denmark for not spending enough on Greenland’s defense.
While Greenland is mostly autonomous, its defense and foreign policy is still dictated by Denmark. Greenland has had the right to declare total independence from Denmark since 2009, but political parties have disagreed over how the separation would be handled.
Tensions escalated between the U.S. and Greenland in August after a report uncovered that several individuals with ties to the White House had worked to create a covert influence campaign in Greenland. Mark Stroh, who was the chief U.S. diplomat in Denmark, was summoned to the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs to answer questions on the alleged operation.
Denmark has also made efforts to shore up its defense spending in the Arctic region. In October, the country announced a $4.26 billion defense investment package that would include the purchase of two new Arctic sea vessels, a new Arctic command headquarters and 16 F-35 advanced fighter jets.
