Denmark to Summon US Ambassador Over Trump’s Greenland Envoy Move

Copenhagen: Denmark will summon the US ambassador following President Donald Trump’s decision to appoint a special envoy to Greenland, a move that has heightened diplomatic tensions between Copenhagen and Washington.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said on Monday that he was “deeply upset” by the appointment, describing both the decision and accompanying statements from the US president as unacceptable. He told Danish broadcaster TV2 that he expected discussions with the US ambassador to take place within days.

Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, and has become an increasingly sensitive geopolitical issue amid growing US interest in the Arctic. Trump has repeatedly argued that the US needs control over resource-rich Greenland for national and allied security, and has previously declined to rule out the use of force.

The issue resurfaced late Sunday after Trump announced the appointment of Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as US special envoy to Greenland, saying the role would advance American security interests and those of its allies.

Greenlandic leaders have consistently rejected suggestions of becoming a US territory and have also pushed back against portrayals of the island as a future mining hub, despite its vast mineral potential. Local officials have stressed self-determination and environmental protection as central priorities.

Denmark’s government has taken a firm stance in response. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a social media post that Greenland belongs to its people and that no foreign power should attempt to take control of the territory.

“No one should be allowed to change national borders by force, neither politically nor militarily,” Frederiksen said, adding that Denmark expects full respect for its territorial integrity.

The Danish foreign ministry declined to comment further beyond Rasmussen’s remarks, but analysts say the episode underscores growing strain in transatlantic relations as strategic competition in the Arctic intensifies.