Unrest in Greenland over the Trumpist expedition to the island

On his own initiative and without being invited by anyone, the special envoy of the United States to Greenland, Jeff Landry, landed this week for the first time on the Arctic island on a visit that has caused much controversy and in which the American delegation was received rather coldly.The also governor of Louisiana, considered a figure very close to President Donald Trump, attended an economic forum where no one expected him. He also met with the Greenlandic Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, and with the head of international relations of the autonomous government, Múte B. Egede, with the intention “to build relationships and make new friends”, as Landy pointed out upon arriving in Nuuk.After three days of unofficial visit, journalists asked the Republican politician if the US still plans to conquer the Arctic island, as Trump stated in January. Landry's response was: “Greenland wasn't on the map until Trump put it there”. The Washington envoy also said that his administration’s desire is “to bring opportunities to Greenland". "This is my job, here", he said.Chocolate chip cookies and MAGA hats

One of the moments from Jeff Landry's visit that has gone viral on social media was the politician handing out chocolate coins to children in the streets of Nuuk. "If you come to the Louisiana governor's mansion, you can eat as many chocolate cookies as you want," he is seen saying in a video captured by the Danish public television DR. Landry also arrived in the Arctic capital with a shipment of red caps with the Trumpist slogan "Make America great again", which he has been distributing during his visits.This attitude has caused great unease among Greenlandic authorities, despite the fact that since Trump's victory in the US presidential elections in November 2024, they have had to get used to the parade of visitors from Trump's circle to the island: first Trump Jr. and the ultraconservative activist Charlie Kirk – who made a quick visit in January 2025 – and later the vice president, J.D. Vance, and his wife, who visited the Pituffik military base.After meeting with Landry, Prime Minister Nielsen stated that his government's rejection to be part of the USAfter meeting with Landry, Prime Minister Nielsen stated that One of the aspects that has most irritated the Greenlandic government is that a doctor was traveling with the American delegation tasked with getting to know the country's healthcare system firsthand. This has not pleased the Greenlandic Minister of Health, Anna Wangenheim, at all, after her government had already rejected the sending of a hospitalized US ship to Nuuk a few months ago under the pretext of helping to face the challenges of the country's healthcare system: “Greenlanders are not subjects for experiments in a geopolitical project. Our healthcare system must be developed through respectful cooperation and with Greenlandic self-determination, not through political envoys with hidden strategic interests,” she said.A US strategy change

Several MPs in the Greenlandic Parliament have also stated that they have received invitations to events organized by the American delegation, although many have refused to attend. Most notably, the inauguration this Wednesday of the new US consulate in Nuuk, which the Greenlandic Prime Minister did not attend.For the researcher in foreign policy and diplomacy at the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS), Mikkel Runge Olesen, the visit signifies a change in Washington's strategy, as “since January they have set aside the option of using military force to take control of Greenland and they only have one option left: to convince the Greenlandic people that it is a good idea to be part of the United States, even though the strategy has not been going very well for them so far”.The visit of Trump's envoy comes as discreet negotiations are underway between Washington, Copenhagen, and Nuuk to resolve the crisis through diplomatic channels. However, this week the New York Times reveals that the White House is reportedly trying to modify the defense agreement signed with Denmark in 1951 to secure a broader and indefinite US military presence. For Olesen, this represents interference in the sovereignty of the autonomous Danish territory, which is why he considers that "no government can accept it." "This crosses the line, and would once again intensify political tension," he predicts.