Trump taps Louisiana governor Jeff Landry as special envoy to Greenland
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Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has spent most of his career focused on domestic politics.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump said he is nominating Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as US special envoy to Greenland, in the latest signal that the President retains designs on increasing US influence over the island he has suggested he wants to purchase.
“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,” Mr Trump said in a social media post on the evening of Dec 21.
The special envoy post would be a new one for the US, which has an ambassador to Denmark.
Greenland is an autonomous Danish dependent territory with self-government and its own Parliament.
It is not clear how the position would overlap with Mr Landry’s current role, as the Republican nears the end of his first year as governor of Louisiana.
Mr Landry, a former police officer, representative in Congress and state attorney-general, has spent most of his career focused on domestic politics.
His term as governor is set to end in January 2028.
Mr Trump has shown a keen interest in taking control of Greenland, after first floating the idea of buying the self-ruling territory from Denmark six years ago.
But he has become more vocal about it in his second term, and deployed key US officials including Vice-President J.D. Vance and Energy Secretary Chris Wright to the Arctic island.
Mr Donald Trump Jr, the President’s son, also visited Greenland in January
Greenland’s attractiveness to Mr Trump is rooted in its strategic location straddling the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans, waters that are growing more accessible with climate change.
The island is already home to the US’ northernmost air base and a radar station used for detecting missile threats.
Senior officials from the US, Denmark and Greenland were expected to meet in December to discuss military and civil cooperation.
Mr Trump’s focus has been eyed warily by residents of Greenland and Denmark – and it has drawn scrutiny from Danish intelligence officials.
The Danish Defence Intelligence Service for the first time earlier in December described the US as a potential security risk, noting the US’ efforts to wield its economic and technological strengths as a tool of power to friend and foe. BLOOMBERG
