President Trump’s envoy to Greenland, Jeff Landry, seeks dialogue, not conquest
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President Donald Trump’s newly appointed envoy to Greenland emphasized Tuesday that the administration wants to open dialogue with residents and that the United States is not trying to “conquer” the island.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, who was appointed by Trump as special envoy to Greenland on Sunday, said during an appearance on Fox News’ “The Will Cain Show” that conversations need to be held with the Greenlanders to understand what they want moving forward.
“What are they seeking? What opportunities have they not received? Why have they not received the protection they deserve?” Landry said.
Landry added that the United States “has always been a welcoming party” and that the Trump administration “will not go in there to conquer anyone” or “take over anyone’s country.”
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Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry (R) was recently appointed envoy to Greenland by President Donald Trump. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Landry’s comments came after Danish leaders harshly criticized Trump after he announced the appointment of a new special envoy to Greenland, a territory controlled by Denmark.
“We have said it before. Now we say it again. National borders and the sovereignty of states are based on international law,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said in a joint statement on Monday. he said. “These are fundamental principles. You cannot annex another country. Even with an argument about international security.”
Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday that Landry “understands how important Greenland is to our National Security and will vigorously advance our Nation’s Interests for the Safety, Security and Survival of our Allies and indeed the World.”
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Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry (R) has been appointed as the US ambassador to Greenland. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
On Tuesday, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen called Trump’s comments “completely unacceptable” and added that he would summon the US ambassador.
He wrote on Facebook that the Danish kingdom “is sovereign and cannot accept others questioning it.”
Trump had previously expressed a desire for the United States to acquire Greenland, publishing on Truth Social in December 2024 that “ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity” for national security purposes.
President Donald Trump’s new envoy to Greenland said Tuesday that the administration wants to open dialogue with residents and that the United States is not trying to “conquer” the island. (Leon Neal/Getty Images; Allison Robbert/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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In another post in January 2025, Trump said Greenland was “an incredible place” and that its people would “benefit greatly if and when it becomes part of our Nation,” followed by “Make Greenland Great Again!”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Alex Nitzberg and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
