Trump appointment of Greenland envoy draws angry response from Denmark

Trump on Sunday appointed Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry as envoy for Greenland, an autonomous island that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, saying on social media that Landry “understands how essential Greenland is to our National Security."

Landry on X called it an honor to take up the voluntary position “to make Greenland a part of the U.S."

Denmark said it wasn’t informed about the appointment, adding to a sense in the Scandinavian nation that it is being kept in the dark about Washington’s real ambitions for Greenland, which constitutes 98% of the Kingdom’s territory.

“We have said it before. Now, we say it again. National borders and the sovereignty of states are rooted in international law," Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said in a joint statement. “Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders, and the U.S. shall not take over Greenland. We expect respect for our joint territorial integrity."

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said he would summon the U.S. ambassador to express his discontent and demand an explanation for the appointment, which Rasmussen said came “out of nowhere."

“I am very upset about the appointment and the statement, which I find completely unacceptable," the foreign minister told broadcaster TV2.

Trump has since his first term expressed a desire to control Greenland. He has criticized Copenhagen, which dictates Greenland’s foreign and security policy, for not appropriately securing the island. Greenland is bigger than Alaska, mostly covered by ice and home to about 57,000 inhabitants.

Denmark responded to the president’s continued remarks on the island in his second term by boosting its Arctic and North Atlantic defense budget by $6.6 billion this year, which includes money to pay for enhanced monitoring with drones, planes and radar systems. Denmark will spend an additional $4.5 billion on 16 more F-35 jet fighters from the U.S., bringing its total fleet to 43. The jets are used to patrol Greenland among other things.

Landry, the new envoy, is seen as a loyal Trump ally, with an antiabortion and tough-on-crime agenda in Louisiana. He has no known connection to Greenland. In January, Landry backed Trump’s stance on the island. “We need to ensure that Greenland joins the United States. GREAT for them, GREAT for us! Let’s get it done!" he said on X.

Landry is the latest in a string of Trump appointments related to Greenland. PayPal co-founder and ex-ambassador to Sweden, Ken Howery, was confirmed as ambassador to Denmark in October. He will have Greenland as a main part of his portfolio.

Last week, Trump named venture capitalist Thomas Dans as head of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission. Dans has worked to cultivate ties with businesspeople and civil society figures in Greenland. Earlier this year, he arranged a visit to Greenland for Donald Trump Jr.

Dans’s ventures on the island were among activities that in August prompted the Danish foreign minister to summon the U.S. chargé d’affaires over concerns that Washington was conducting a covert influence campaign aimed at driving a wedge between Denmark and Greenland.

Nielsen, Greenland’s prime minister, responded to the appointment of Landry by seeking to dial down tensions.

“We have once again woken up to a new statement from the American president," he wrote on Facebook Monday. “It may sound like a big deal. But it doesn’t change anything for us," he said. “We are happy to cooperate with other countries, including the U.S., but it must happen with respect for us and our values and wishes."

Write to Sune Engel Rasmussen at sune.rasmussen@wsj.com