U.S. President Donald Trump's selection of Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry as special envoy to Greenland is drawing a baffled response in Washington. Landry, a hardline conservative within the Republican Party, is seen as a prominent "Trump loyalist." However, he is known to have virtually no experience in foreign affairs or national security.
On the 21st, local time, President Trump announced on social media that he would appoint Landry as special envoy to Greenland. He said, "Gov. Landry understands well how important Greenland is to U.S. national security," explaining the reason for the pick, and Landry immediately responded, saying, "I am honored to serve to make Greenland part of the United States." Landry will remain Louisiana governor, and the exact role and authority he will have as envoy have not yet been clearly disclosed.
Jeff Landry, elected in 2023, is the governor of Louisiana and previously served as Louisiana attorney general for eight years starting in 2016. During his tenure, he raised his profile by filing aggressive lawsuits against Biden administration policies, notably suing over the rule during the COVID-19 pandemic that allowed employers with 100 or more business sites to require worker vaccinations, calling it a "violation of basic rights."
Landry has also been a strong defender of Louisiana's abortion ban, considered among the most stringent in the United States. Earlier, when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Louisiana's "Unsafe Abortion Prevention Act," which strictly limited qualifications for performing abortions, he said in a statement that the court had "made a heartbreaking decision that prioritizes access to abortion over the health and safety of mothers and unborn children," openly criticizing the ruling.
In particular, Jeff Landry is a pro-Trump figure who has fully backed the president's policy line. Citing the need to crack down on undocumented immigrants, he directly requested the deployment of the National Guard to New Orleans, Louisiana, and he has maintained support for the president's plan to incorporate Greenland. In January, he said on X (formerly Twitter), "President Trump is absolutely right," adding, "Greenland joining the United States would be good for them and for us," and observers say his high degree of loyalty was a decisive factor in his selection as envoy.
Questions are being raised about Landry's diplomatic aptitude as a regional envoy. Landry has virtually no relevant experience and has focused during his governorship on implementing policies to push the state in a conservative direction. Still, because President Trump has previously installed his closest associates as special envoys for Ukraine and the Middle East, analysts say this appointment also prioritized loyalty over expertise.
Greenland has responded coolly. Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen issued a joint statement calling for respect for sovereignty, and Denmark Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen also drew a line, saying, "The United States' decision is entirely unacceptable." Aya Chemnitz, a Greenlandic member of the Danish Parliament, said, "We welcome Landry's visit," but added, "Greenland is not for sale."