Denmark summoned US ambassador

Jurgen Batz and Miriam Arndts

Copenhagen (dpa) — Denmark has summoned the U.S. ambassador for talks following President Donald Trump’s decision to appoint a special envoy for Greenland, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said Monday.

Lokke Rasmussen told broadcaster TV2 that the appointment of Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry as U.S. special envoy to the self-ruling Danish territory was totally unexpected and described Landry’s public remarks as “completely unacceptable.”

Landry, a Republican like Trump, had said in a post on social media that it was “an honor” to serve Trump in making “Greenland a part of the U.S.”

Lokke Rasmussen said he would demand an explanation in talks with U.S. Ambassador Ken Howery, which he hoped would take place later Monday or on Tuesday.

Trump announced Landry’s appointment late Sunday, saying in a post on his Truth Social platform that Landry understood “how essential Greenland is to our national security.”

Landry will continue to serve as governor of Louisiana.

Since returning office in January, Trump has revived an idea from his first term of gaining control of the island — and has not ruled out the use of force. Denmark and the Greenland reject these efforts.

The U.S. president believes Greenland, which is largely autonomous but part of the Kingdom of Denmark, is strategically important both for defense and as a source of mineral wealth.

Greenland — the world’s largest island — is four-fifths covered in ice and is home to just under 57,000 people.

Denmark summoned US ambassador

Danish media recently reported that the U.S. government is seeking to establish direct contacts with the Greenlandic government. However, it is political practice in Denmark to have both Danish and Greenlandic representatives present at talks concerning foreign, security or defense issues affecting island.

It was not immediately clear why Trump named Landry as special envoy to the island. Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana, is about is around 2,850 miles southwest of the Arctic island’s capital Nuuk.

Louisiana was once part of France and purchased by the U.S. in 1803 in a $15 million deal that gave the union a large north-south swath from New Orleans on the Gulf of Mexico to Wyoming and North Dakota. Today, the Louisiana Purchase encompasses all or some of 15 U.S. states.

Trump’s predecessors customarily have appointed special envoys primarily for difficult negotiations and crisis situations. Relations with allies, such as NATO partner Denmark, are traditionally managed by U.S. ambassadors.

Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, struck a note of calm on Monday, saying the news out of Washington was “not a cause for concern.”

In a post on Facebook, Nielsen said the appointment did not change the fact that Greenland controlled its own destiny.

“We are open to cooperation with other countries, including the United States, but with respect and based on our values and aspirations,” he wrote. “We are united and we will never be destroyed.”

European Council President António Costa emphasized that the EU stands in full solidarity with Denmark and the people of Greenland.

“Arctic security remains a key priority for the European Union, and one in which we seek to work with allies and partners,” Costa wrote on X.

“Territorial integrity and sovereignty are fundamental principles of international law,” Costa added.