Denmark Summons US Ambassador Over Greenland Envoy Appointment

On Monday, December 22, 2025, the Kingdom of Denmark formally summoned the United States Ambassador in Copenhagen to the Foreign Ministry, marking a significant diplomatic escalation with a key NATO ally. The action followed the appointment of Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as a special envoy for Greenland by US President Donald Trump, who publicly stated the envoy’s objective was to secure the territory for the United States.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen met with US Ambassador to Denmark, Ken Howery, in the presence of a Greenlandic representative to deliver a clear warning regarding Danish sovereignty over the autonomous territory. Rasmussen deemed the envoy’s stated goal “totally unacceptable,” prompting him to demand an immediate explanation from Washington. Since returning to office in January 2025, President Trump has repeatedly asserted US interest in the resource-rich Arctic island, citing national security concerns and not ruling out the use of force for acquisition. Governor Landry confirmed this position, stating on X that he accepted the volunteer role specifically "to make Greenland a part of the US."

This development underscores escalating geopolitical tensions in the Arctic, a region the US views as critical for strategic positioning against global competitors. US interest centers on the island’s strategic location between North America and Europe, its role in missile trajectory defense, and its substantial reserves of rare minerals, including lithium, graphite, yttrium, and cobalt, which are vital for advanced technology. Furthermore, the impact of melting polar ice is opening new maritime routes, such as the Northwest Passage, positioning Greenland as a crucial maritime node. The US already maintains the Pituffik Space Base in Greenland, the Department of Defense's northernmost installation, used for missile warning and space surveillance.

In a unified response, Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen issued a joint declaration affirming that annexing another country is fundamentally unacceptable and demanding respect for their joint territorial integrity. Nielsen separately emphasized that Greenlanders will determine their own future, stating, “Greenland belongs to Greenlanders.” This sentiment is supported by a January 2025 opinion poll indicating that while 56% of Greenlanders desired independence from Denmark, 85% rejected joining the United States.

The international community reacted swiftly, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen expressing the EU’s “full solidarity” with Denmark and underscoring that territorial integrity and sovereignty are foundational principles of international law. This friction between NATO allies is further complicated by the Danish Defence Intelligence Service’s 2025 assessment, which listed the US as a potential security threat for the first time, citing its use of “economic and technological strength as a means of power” against allies. In response, Denmark announced a $2 billion allocation, equivalent to 14.6 billion kroner, to significantly increase its Arctic military presence, funding three new Arctic naval vessels and long-range drones.