Denmark and Greenland on Monday asserted that the United States will not take over Greenland, calling for full respect for their territorial integrity following President Donald Trump’s announcement of a special envoy to the Arctic territory.
Trump on Sunday named Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as the U.S. special envoy to Greenland, sparking renewed tensions over Washington’s interest in the semi-autonomous territory of the NATO ally. In response, Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said he plans to summon the U.S. ambassador in Copenhagen.
In a joint statement, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen said, “National borders and state sovereignty are rooted in international law. They are fundamental principles. You cannot annex another country, not even citing international security.”
The statement added, “Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders and the U.S. shall not take over Greenland. We expect respect for our joint territorial integrity.”
Trump has repeatedly suggested U.S. jurisdiction over Greenland and has not ruled out military options for the strategically located, resource-rich island. Earlier this year, Vice President JD Vance visited a U.S. military base in Greenland and criticized Denmark for underinvestment there.
The issue re-emerged in August when Danish authorities summoned the U.S. ambassador after reports that individuals linked to Trump conducted covert influence operations in Greenland.
Landry described his appointment as “an honor” and said he will work to “make Greenland a part of the U.S.”
Rasmussen told Danish media that while the appointment shows continued American interest, “everyone — including the U.S. — must respect the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark.”
Before the joint statement, Nielsen wrote on Facebook that the new U.S. announcement “does not change anything for us at home.”
The EU also stressed the importance of Denmark’s sovereignty. An EU Commission spokesperson said Monday that preserving the territorial integrity and inviolability of Denmark’s borders is “essential for the European Union.”