Donald Trump’s newest Envoy to Greenland wasted to time echoing the President’s agenda, issuing a thank you statement that was immediately labeled “completely unacceptable” by the Prime Minister of Denmark.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has stated that he will support President Donald Trump‘s plan to annex Greenland as part of the U.S., following his appointment as the U.S.’s special envoy to the country on Sunday. The comments have angered Denmark, which considers the island part of its territory.
In the announcement of his appointment, Trump said Landry “understands how essential Greenland is to our national security” and will “strongly advance our Country’s interests,” citing its strategic location and resources. Within hours of the announcement, Landry took to the social platform X to write, “It’s an honor to serve you in this volunteer position to make Greenland a part of the U.S.”
Thank you @realDonaldTrump! It’s an honor to serve you in this volunteer position to make Greenland a part of the U.S. This in no way affects my position as Governor of Louisiana!
— Governor Jeff Landry (@LAGovJeffLandry) December 22, 2025
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen condemned the comments, telling Danish media outlet TV2, “I’m deeply upset about the appointment and the statement, which I find completely unacceptable.” The Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, wrote on her social media that, “Greenland belongs to Greenlanders, and the U.S. should not take over Greenland.”
The move comes amid renewed U.S. interest in Greenland. After Trump took office in January, he has made it an explicit goal to annex the island and make it U.S. territory since the beginning of his second term. However, he has expressed interest in buying the island since 2019, during his first term.
Historically, U.S. interest in Greenland is not new. The idea of acquiring the island dates back to the 19th century, and even former U.S. administrations have weighed its strategic importance. However, the current push under Trump is the strongest move from the U.S. to gain control of the island.
Shortly after his re-election, the President announced on Truth Social that PayPal co-founder Ken Howery was to be his ambassador to Denmark. In the post, he also wrote, “the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.” Since then, Trump has kept a potential annexation in the public consciousness by consistently talking about it, even mentioning before his inauguration that he could not rule out using coercion to gain control of Greenland.
Public opinion in Greenland, where roughly 57,000 people live, shows little enthusiasm for becoming part of the U.S. A January 2025 poll found that a strong majority supports eventual independence from Denmark, but does not favor U.S. annexation. The autonomous territory is rich in rare minerals and positioned at a strategic point between North America and Europe. The United States already maintains a military presence there, including the Pituffik (Thule) Air Base, which is integral to its missile defense network.
