Gov. Landry offers priorities for Trump’s Greenland pursuit

President Donald Trump has resumed his assault on NATO this week at its summit in Turkey, including a continued push for outright U.S. control of Greenland. 

Ahead of his trip, Trump’s special envoy to the Danish territory, Gov. Jeff Landry, provided a list of priorities to the president for a “stronger American presence” there. He shared them in a social media post earlier this week. 

While Landry’s language in that post was measured — twice calling for a “partnership” with Greenland — he was more direct in a June 30 interview with Breitbart podcaster Alex Marlow. 

“From a strategic natural resources standpoint, that place is unbelievably important to us,” Landry said. “I mean, there’s a great oil and gas reserve there. There are great rare earth minerals there. There’s great fishing there. I mean, it’s a great, great place, so we’re gonna get it.”     

The governor said that process would involve “sending more U.S. military personnel to Greenland, to repopulating our bases,” and he then laid out some of the recommendations he made to the president. They include establishing shipping routes and direct commercial flights between the U.S. and Greenland, a joint investment fund between the two parties and expanding educational, cultural and public diplomacy exchanges.

Trump made Landry his special envoy to Greenland late last year, and the governor traveled to the Arctic island in May. Though the governor has described the trip as a success, it provided for some awkward moments captured on video. Children refused the red MAGA hats he offered them, and Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielson told a Danish TV network the territory has no interest in an official allegiance with the United States, The Times-Picayune reported.

In this week’s online post, Landry said during that visit, “Greenlanders made one thing clear: they feel abandoned by Denmark.” 

Trump expressed a similar sentiment at the NATO summit.

“Greenland doesn’t really help Denmark. Denmark doesn’t spend money or really help Greenland,” he told reporters. “But it’s an important part of the United States, and it’s surrounded by Chinese ships and Russian ships.”

In response, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said her country is “ready to defend every inch of NATO, including our own territory,” the Associated Press reported.

Trump is also at odds with NATO after its European members opted not to provide support for his war with Iran.