Trump still wants to take over Greenland

WASHINGTON, DC – Just when it seemed Donald Trump had forgotten all about it, suddenly Greenland is back on his front burner.

It is unclear what prompted his surprise announcement on Sunday night that he’s appointing a special envoy to the Danish-administered territory. Maybe the global excitement about Santa’s impending journey, which of course starts from the Claus family’s home in Greenland, reminded Trump that what he really wants for Christmas is the Stars and Stripes planted firmly on its icy shores. But whatever the cause, the Danes and Greenlanders now have a fresh headache for 2026.

It comes in the form of Jeff Landry, the Republican governor of Louisiana who may soon find himself commuting occasionally between Baton Rouge and Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. The travel alone won’t be easy, since so far there is limited appetite for non-stop flights between the two cities.

Landry was at pains to confirm that he’s not quitting his day job. “This in no way affects my position as Governor of Louisiana!” he quickly posted on X, lest any of his fellow Republicans were salivating over the prospects of taking over in the state’s gubernatorial mansion. But Landry defined his appointment as an important step in America’s planned takeover of Greenland. Thanking Trump for the new gig, he wrote, “It’s an honor to serve you in this volunteer position to make Greenland a part of the US”.

Announcing the move, Trump underscored his hostile intent towards the territory. “Jeff understands how essential Greenland is to our National Security,” he wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social. Landry “will strongly advance our Country’s interests for the Safety, Security and Survival of our Allies, and indeed, the World,” he added.

Denmark responded immediately, reminding the world that Greenland is not for sale. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen issued a joint statement with Jens-Frederik Nielsen, the chairman of Greenland’s parliament. “Land borders and the sovereignty of states are rooted in international law,” they said. “You cannot annex other countries. Not even with an argument about international security. Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders … We expect respect for our territorial integrity.”

Danish foreign minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen described himself as “deeply angered” by Landry’s appointment, which he called “unacceptable”. He said the Danish Government would summon the US ambassador to Denmark, Ken Howery, a co-founder of PayPal, dispatched to Copenhagen earlier this year by Trump.

But the US leader will have priced in Copenhagen’s reaction to his reigniting of efforts to bring Greenland under America’s aegis.

Greenland is already home to around 150 US military personnel serving at the Pituffik Space Base, and the Danes have previously indicated a willingness to discuss expansion of the American military presence there. But over the past year, Trump has argued it is an “absolute necessity” for the US to own the territory, and has refused to rule out military action to bring Greenland to heel.

At a time when the US is battling to overthrow Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, accusing him of being a drug-trafficking kingpin who has “stolen” American oil, Trump is indicating that his expansionist tendencies are back in vogue, especially with regard to worldwide locations that are rich in natural resources.

Venezuela, sitting on the world’s largest oil reserves, is now firmly in Trump’s sights as he seeks to place American oil behemoths at the centre of an industry from which they were excluded when nationalisation occurred in the South American country in 1976.

Greenland’s natural wealth includes deposits of zinc, lead, gold, iron ore and several rare earths with “excellent potential” for extraction as the Arctic ice shelf continues to warm. A 2023 survey indicated that 25 of the 34 minerals considered “critical raw materials” by the European Commission are found at scale in Greenland.

Further afield, Trump’s plans for Gaza are gathering pace, as he prepares an imminent announcement about the “Board of Peace”, which he will personally helm as it takes on the task of governing the devastated Palestinian territory.

His national security strategy, published earlier this month, says the US administration seeks to embrace the 1823 Monroe Doctrine, which carved the world up into different spheres of influence.

Trump’s determination to emulate 19th-century American presidents who expanded the country’s literal size remains a driving force in his second term.

Just how much time Landry ends up spending in Greenland is in doubt. There is no guarantee the Danish or Greenland authorities will agree to even his occasional presence in Nuuk.

Other special envoys appointed by Trump to more hospitable climes include Mark Burnett, the TV executive behind The Apprentice, who was last year appointed US special envoy to the UK.

But barring one visit to Downing Street in May, he has enjoyed no visibility in London at all and not a single mention of his activities can be found on the US Embassy’s website. In the New Year, the Danes and Greenlanders should only be so lucky.