West Palm Beach, Florida – WEST PALM BEACH, FL (AP) — President Donald Trump He announced on Sunday that he was appointing Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry to be a special US envoy to Greenland, the vast semi-autonomous region of Denmark that Trump said The United States needs to take charge.
“Jeff recognizes how important Greenland is to our national security, and he will work aggressively to advance our country’s interests for the safety, security, and survival of our allies, and indeed the entire world,” Trump said in announcing the appointment.
Trump During his presidential transition period In the first months of his return to the White House, he repeatedly called for imposing American jurisdiction over Greenland, and did not rule out the use of military force to control the mineral-rich and strategically located Arctic island.
The issue had been out of the headlines in recent months, but in August, Danish officials summoned the American ambassador Following a report that at least three people linked to Trump conducted covert influence operations in Greenland.
Earlier this year, Vice President J.D. Vance visited the remote American military base On the island and Denmark was accused of not investing there.
Trump said that Greenland is important to the security of the United States and did not rule that out Capturing the island by military forceAlthough Denmark is a member of NATO, the United States
Landry took office as governor in January 2024. His term ends in January 2028.
“It is an honor to serve you in this volunteer position to make Greenland part of the United States,” Landry wrote in a post on X in which he thanked Trump for the appointment. He added: “This in no way affects my position as governor of the state of Louisiana!”
Denmark, a US NATO ally, and Greenland said the island was not for sale and condemned reports that the United States was collecting intelligence there. Russia and a large part of Europe also oppose the American approach to Greenland.
The Danish Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Landry’s appointment.
The Danish Defense Intelligence Service said in a report earlier this month that the United States is using its economic power to “assert its will” and threaten to use military force against friends and enemies alike.
Washington’s greater assertiveness under the Trump administration also comes at a time when China and Russia are seeking to reduce Western, especially American, influence, the service said in its annual assessment.
The report said: “The strategic importance of the Arctic is increasing as the conflict between Russia and the West intensifies, and the increasing security and strategic focus on the Arctic by the United States will further accelerate these developments.”