Greenland leader ‘sad’ over Trump’s special envoy appointment

Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen says he’s “sad” and disappointed that President Donald Trump has renewed his interest in acquiring Denmark’s island territory by appointing a special envoy to the Arctic island.

Nielsen made the comments Dec. 23 in a Facebook post a day after Trump asserted that the United States needs Greenland for its national security and named Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry his representative to “lead the charge.”

Landry took office as governor in January 2024 and has publicly supported Trump’s idea. Nielsen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen have repeatedly rebuked Trump for his designs on Greenland.

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“You cannot annex another country. Not even with an argument about international security,” Nielsen and Frederiksen said in a joint statement Dec. 22.

“Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders and the U.S. shall not take over Greenland.”

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Greenland is a former Danish colony with a population of about 57,000. Its local government has the right, subject to a national referendum, to declare independence under a 2009 agreement. But the territory remains heavily reliant on fishing and Danish welfare subsidies. Denmark, a NATO ally, is also responsible for Greenland’s defense and security.

Trump raised the idea of acquiring Greenland during his first term, when he suggested the United States might buy it. In his second term, he has floated the idea of annexing it. The vast majority of Greenlanders reject the idea of becoming part of the United States, though some favor independence from Denmark.

Greenland’s strategic location − it sits along the shortest route from Europe to North America − could prove useful for a U.S. ballistic missile warning system.

The U.S. military already maintains a permanent presence at the Pituffik air base in northwest Greenland.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Greenland’s leader ‘sad’ after Trump appoints special envoy