Donald Trump has named Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as his special envoy for Greenland, underscoring the US president’s determination to take control of the vast Arctic island from Denmark.

Mr Trump said in a social media post on Sunday in the US that Mr Landry “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”.

Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Greenland’s prime minister, said on Monday that Mr Landry’s appointment would not change anything for the island.

“We decide our own future. Greenland is our country,” he said. “We are happy to co-operate with other countries, including the US, but it must always be done with respect for us, our values, and our wishes.’’

Mr Trump has caused anxiety and consternation in both Greenland and in Denmark, a Nato ally, with his repeated insistence that he will take control of the frozen island of 57,000 people, including saying the US would offer to buy it.

Ministers in Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, and Copenhagen have consistently stated that the island is not for sale, but that both countries are keen to co-operate with Mr Trump over security and in business opportunities such as mining.

Vivian Motzfeldt, Greenland’s foreign minister, met the new US ambassador to Denmark, Ken Howery, this month and said Mr Trump’s comments had created “uncertainty”.

She told the Financial Times in October: “We know how important it is for us to have co-operation with the United States. From the beginning, we have been saying that we know our geopolitical location has a very important meaning for defence towards Europe, and also towards the United States’ security. But, of course, if you want a good, solid and trust-filled co-operation, you need to do it with respect.”

Danish officials believe Mr Trump’s initial strategy was to browbeat Copenhagen into ceding its main Arctic territory. Mr Trump had a fiery phone call in January with Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen during which he insisted Greenland would be his.

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Mr Landry said it was an honour to take the voluntary role “to make Greenland part of the US”, adding that it would not affect his position as governor of the southern US state of Louisiana.

Denmark has become more assertive in pushing back against what is meant to be its closest security ally. Lars Lokke Rasmussen, Denmark’s foreign minister, summoned the US ambassador in Copenhagen to a meeting to protest against the appointment.

“I am deeply outraged by the appointment and comments, which I find totally unacceptable,” Mr Rasmussen told Danish broadcaster TV2 on Monday.

Nordic foreign ministers from Finland, Norway and Sweden also offered their most publicly vocal support for Denmark and Greenland on Monday, urging the US to respect international law.

Mr Trump has also recently named Thomas Dans, an investor and Russian expert, as head of the US Arctic Research Commission. Mr Dans arranged a visit to Greenland for Donald Trump jnr, the US president’s son.

Mr Trump and officials around him are interested in the idea of “hemispheric defence”, arguing that the US needs to control much of the Americas – including potentially Greenland, Canada and the Panama Canal – to make itself safe.

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Greenland is keen to develop its economy by attracting US and other investors to industries such as tourism and mining in an attempt to become richer and enable its independence from Denmark. But Mr Trump’s pressure has led to more co-operation between Nuuk and Copenhagen, with some Greenlanders arguing it would be best to deepen ties with Denmark.

Greenlandic politicians accept that it is impossible for the native population to defend the world’s second-largest island themselves.

They had said before Mr Trump’s renewed efforts to take control that the US – which has significantly reduced its military presence on the island in recent decades – could expand its Pituffik space base, in Greenland’s far north, if it wanted. – Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2025