The president said in a post that “Jeff understands how essential Greenland is to our National Security, and will strongly advance our Country’s Interests for the Safety, Security and Survival of our Allies, and indeed, the World,” Trump said in a statement announcing the appointment.
Landry, 54, said he would remain governor of Louisiana while serving in the new position, which he described as voluntary. “It’s an honor to serve you in this volunteer position to make Greenland a part of the US,” Landry said in response to the announcement.
Landry was elected governor of Louisiana in 2023 after previously serving as the state’s attorney general and as a member of Congress. No timeline or specific mandate for the envoy role was provided.
The announcement prompted a response from Denmark, which retains sovereignty over Greenland. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said the appointment “confirms the continued American interest in Greenland" and said that he was "deeply upset" by the developments. “However, we insist that everyone — including the US — must show respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark,” Rasmussen added.
Trump has repeatedly stated since his reelection that the US should take control of Greenland, citing its location along Arctic shipping routes and its mineral resources. Administration officials have previously discussed a framework in which Greenland would first become independent and then enter into a compact of free association with the US, granting Washington authority in areas such as defense.
In March, Vice President JD Vance visited US personnel stationed at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland and criticized Denmark’s governance of the territory. “Our message to Denmark is very simple: you have not done a good job by the people of Greenland,” Vance said at the time. “You have under-invested in the people of Greenland, and you have under-invested in the security architecture of this incredible, beautiful landmass filled with incredible people.”
Although the issue has drawn less public attention in recent months, Danish officials have continued to monitor the US. In August, Denmark summoned then-acting US ambassador Mark Stroh following reports that individuals connected to the president sought to influence public opinion in Greenland.
Earlier this month, Denmark’s Defense Intelligence Service stated in its annual assessment that the US “is leveraging economic power, including threats of high tariffs, to assert its will,” and warned that the possibility of using military force “even against allies” could no longer be ruled out.
