Trump Taps Landry for Greenland: U.S. Power Play Stuns World Stage

Paul Riverbank, 12/22/2025Trump’s shock pick of Louisiana governor as Greenland envoy shakes up Arctic power politics.

Not many can honestly say they saw this coming. Here’s Landry, barely settled in as governor, suddenly helmed for the far north while his constituents are still getting used to his signature. Washington’s folks didn’t see the appointment coming, and the scrambling within Landry’s own camp was, by all accounts, remarkable. At press time, nobody in Baton Rouge would confirm whether Landry plans to take up residence in Greenland full-time or split his time between the State Capitol and the arctic circle—a logistical riddle, considering most Louisianans haven’t had much call to consider polar distances.

Of course, the rules in Louisiana are about as complicated as the state’s crawfish boils. Step down, and you hand the keys to Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser without much fanfare or electioneering. State insiders, still coming to grips with Landry’s outsized gubernatorial style, are now war-gaming what a Nungesser-led administration might look like.

So why Greenland, and why now? Trump, for one, hasn’t masked his long-standing fascination with that vast, icy island. The brief episode, nearly five years ago, when he floated the notion of buying Greenland off Denmark, was initially met with derision—both in Copenhagen and among American late-night hosts. But the move did land a punch: overnight, U.S. strategic focus crept northward, to a place previously left to climatologists and adventure cruise marketers.

Greenland is no longer just about glaciers and narwhals. The planet’s changing thermostat is opening up new sea routes—potential economic game changers. Add to that the not-so-small issue of mineral riches—nickel, cobalt, uranium—and a declining reliance on tradition at the world’s mining corporations. Beijing, always eager for new resources, has sniffed around as well, and when a Chinese company made moves for Greenland’s airport projects, American and Danish officials pulled out the stops to ensure local hands steered the contracts.

You saw hints of this renewed U.S. interest earlier this year, when Vice President JD Vance made his own trip north, conducting base inspections that felt more Cold War than routine goodwill. He also leaned on Denmark—sometimes awkwardly, as these things tend to go—to bulk up its own Arctic defense. There’s a sense that the quiet, glacial pace of diplomacy has melted along with the ice.

What does “special envoy” mean in this context? That’s about as clear as Greenlandic spring. Precedent isn’t much help—the U.S. typically contacts Nuuk through Copenhagen, and special envoys are often short-term fixers, not permanent diplomats. There’s reason to believe, though, that Trump wants Landry to be more than a fleeting emissary or ceremonial ribbon-cutter.

Louisiana, for its part, has been left holding its breath. Landry has, for months, set the agenda with unflinching “tough-on-crime” rhetoric and policies that have left no ambiguity regarding his views on cultural questions. Still, swapping out a domestic hardliner for a frozen outpost is not the political storyline anyone predicted the governor would headline.

For the global set, the takeaway is this: America is putting down a much larger marker in the Arctic. That this story, packed with minerals and sea lanes, now attracts the full-time attention of a U.S. envoy is a sign of how competition with Russia and China is spilling into ever-chillier locales.

This coming month, officials from America, Denmark, and Greenland are set to regroup—trade, security, the usual blend of high-level, low-profile meetings. The agenda will surely look different with Landry in the mix—his resume as a former attorney general and congressman, paired with a military background, gives him more heft than the average North Atlantic envoy.

No matter how this plays out, one thing is certain: Greenland has left the diplomatic shadows behind. As Washington recalibrates its northern playbook, Louisiana watches and waits for word—will Landry juggle two jobs, or will Baton Rouge hand the reins to a new governor sooner rather than later? Either way, the world’s spotlight just shifted, however briefly, toward the Arctic—and the ripples are stretching all the way down the Mississippi.

Something rattled the political landscape on Sunday—not an aftershock from a Louisiana storm, but from Washington. Out of nowhere, President Trump tapped Governor Jeff Landry for a job few had on their bingo cards: American envoy to Greenland. This came, as so many political surprises do these days, by way of a Truth Social post fired off on a quiet weekend afternoon.Not many can honestly say they saw this coming. Here’s Landry, barely settled in as governor, suddenly helmed for the far north while his constituents are still getting used to his signature. Washington’s folks didn’t see the appointment coming, and the scrambling within Landry’s own camp was, by all accounts, remarkable. At press time, nobody in Baton Rouge would confirm whether Landry plans to take up residence in Greenland full-time or split his time between the State Capitol and the arctic circle—a logistical riddle, considering most Louisianans haven’t had much call to consider polar distances.Of course, the rules in Louisiana are about as complicated as the state’s crawfish boils. Step down, and you hand the keys to Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser without much fanfare or electioneering. State insiders, still coming to grips with Landry’s outsized gubernatorial style, are now war-gaming what a Nungesser-led administration might look like.So why Greenland, and why now? Trump, for one, hasn’t masked his long-standing fascination with that vast, icy island. The brief episode, nearly five years ago, when he floated the notion of buying Greenland off Denmark, was initially met with derision—both in Copenhagen and among American late-night hosts. But the move did land a punch: overnight, U.S. strategic focus crept northward, to a place previously left to climatologists and adventure cruise marketers.Greenland is no longer just about glaciers and narwhals. The planet’s changing thermostat is opening up new sea routes—potential economic game changers. Add to that the not-so-small issue of mineral riches—nickel, cobalt, uranium—and a declining reliance on tradition at the world’s mining corporations. Beijing, always eager for new resources, has sniffed around as well, and when a Chinese company made moves for Greenland’s airport projects, American and Danish officials pulled out the stops to ensure local hands steered the contracts.You saw hints of this renewed U.S. interest earlier this year, when Vice President JD Vance made his own trip north, conducting base inspections that felt more Cold War than routine goodwill. He also leaned on Denmark—sometimes awkwardly, as these things tend to go—to bulk up its own Arctic defense. There’s a sense that the quiet, glacial pace of diplomacy has melted along with the ice.What does “special envoy” mean in this context? That’s about as clear as Greenlandic spring. Precedent isn’t much help—the U.S. typically contacts Nuuk through Copenhagen, and special envoys are often short-term fixers, not permanent diplomats. There’s reason to believe, though, that Trump wants Landry to be more than a fleeting emissary or ceremonial ribbon-cutter.Louisiana, for its part, has been left holding its breath. Landry has, for months, set the agenda with unflinching “tough-on-crime” rhetoric and policies that have left no ambiguity regarding his views on cultural questions. Still, swapping out a domestic hardliner for a frozen outpost is not the political storyline anyone predicted the governor would headline.For the global set, the takeaway is this: America is putting down a much larger marker in the Arctic. That this story, packed with minerals and sea lanes, now attracts the full-time attention of a U.S. envoy is a sign of how competition with Russia and China is spilling into ever-chillier locales.This coming month, officials from America, Denmark, and Greenland are set to regroup—trade, security, the usual blend of high-level, low-profile meetings. The agenda will surely look different with Landry in the mix—his resume as a former attorney general and congressman, paired with a military background, gives him more heft than the average North Atlantic envoy.No matter how this plays out, one thing is certain: Greenland has left the diplomatic shadows behind. As Washington recalibrates its northern playbook, Louisiana watches and waits for word—will Landry juggle two jobs, or will Baton Rouge hand the reins to a new governor sooner rather than later? Either way, the world’s spotlight just shifted, however briefly, toward the Arctic—and the ripples are stretching all the way down the Mississippi.