Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Denmark has announced plans to summon the United States ambassador after President Donald Trump appointed the governor of Louisiana as a special envoy to Greenland, a step that has reignited diplomatic tensions over the status of the Arctic island.
Speaking on Monday, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen stressed the importance of respecting Denmark’s territorial integrity, explicitly including the United States among those bound by this principle. His remarks came amid growing concern in Copenhagen over renewed American interest in Greenland, a vast, mineral-rich territory that enjoys broad self-governance while remaining part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
“This appointment confirms the continued American interest in Greenland,” Rasmussen said in a brief official statement. However, he expressed clear frustration over both the decision and the accompanying rhetoric from Washington, describing the move as unacceptable.
In comments to Danish broadcaster TV2, Rasmussen said the government would summon the U.S. ambassador in the coming days to seek clarification regarding the appointment and the broader intentions behind it. “I was angered by the appointment and the statement,” he said. “This is not something we can accept.”
During his presidential transition period and in the early months of his second term, Trump has repeatedly called for expanding U.S. authority over Greenland. He has argued that the island’s strategic location in the Arctic and its vast natural resources make it vital to American security interests. On several occasions, Trump has declined to rule out the use of military force to gain control of the territory, remarks that have alarmed both Danish officials and Greenlandic leaders.
Greenland occupies a central position in the Arctic, a region that has gained increasing geopolitical significance as climate change opens new shipping routes and access to previously unreachable resources. While Greenland maintains its own government and controls many domestic affairs, foreign policy and defense remain under Danish authority.
Danish officials have consistently rejected any suggestion of transferring sovereignty over Greenland, emphasizing that the future of the island rests with its people and within the framework of the Danish realm. Rasmussen reiterated this position on Monday, stating that “everyone, including the United States, must respect the territorial unity of the Kingdom of Denmark.”
The summoning of the U.S. ambassador underscores the seriousness with which Copenhagen views the latest developments, signaling that Denmark is prepared to confront Washington diplomatically as debates over Arctic security and influence continue to intensify.
