(José Niño, Headline USA) President Donald Trump has escalated his demands for control of Greenland by appointing a special envoy to pursue the Arctic territory, declaring the United States must acquire the island for national security purposes despite fierce opposition from European allies and Greenlandic leaders.
According to the Financial Times, Trump announced at his Mar-a-Lago residence that his interest extends beyond the island’s rare minerals and mining opportunities. “If you take a look at Greenland, up and down the coast, you have Russian and Chinese ships all over the place. We need it for national security. We have to have it,” he told reporters.
The appointment of Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as special envoy to Greenland shocked Danish and Greenlandic officials, who received no consultation about the decision. The designation carries particular weight since such positions typically address major conflicts like those in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen expressed disappointment with Trump’s approach. “Our territorial integrity and our right to self-determination are rooted in international law and cannot simply be ignored,” he said, adding that he was “sad” his country was reduced by Trump “to a question of security and power.”
European leaders quickly rallied behind Denmark. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that “territorial integrity and sovereignty are fundamental principles of international law.” Foreign ministers from Germany, Norway, and Sweden also voiced support for Danish sovereignty while noting Arctic security remains an important EU priority.
Trump’s claims about Russian and Chinese naval activity near Greenland face significant dispute from local and Danish officials, who report no recent sightings of vessels from either nation. Chinese business interest in the territory has declined sharply since several failed mining and tourism ventures during the 2010s.
The president also criticized Denmark’s military commitment to the region. “Denmark has spent no money. They have no military protection,” Trump declared. However, Denmark announced in October a $4.2 billion investment in Greenland defense infrastructure, including two military units, a joint Arctic command headquarters in Nuuk, and new ships, aircraft, drones, and radar systems.
The United States maintains Pituffik space base under a 1951 agreement with Denmark, though American military presence has shrunk dramatically from a Cold War peak of 15,000 personnel to approximately 200 today.
Trump dismissed Danish historical claims to the territory. “They say that Denmark was there 300 years ago or something, with a boat. Well, we were there with boats too, I’m sure. So we’ll have to work it all out,” he said.
José Niño is the deputy editor of Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/JoseAlNino
