Copenhagen’s decision to summon the US ambassador this week is no mere diplomatic theater. It is rather a response to a very real signal coming from Washington: Greenland is still on Washington’s strategic radar. In fact, by appointing a new special envoy to Greenland, the Trump administration is not merely reopening an old debate, but rather is reviving a doctrine.

The appointment of Jeff Landry as special envoy for Greenland has been framed by Washington as a matter of “coordination” and “dialogue.” Commentator Alexandra Sharp, writing for Foreign Policy, notes that the move revives US ambitions tied to strategic minerals, Arctic shipping routes, and military positioning.

Trump openly floated the idea of purchasing Greenland during his first term, only to face firm Danish rejection. What has changed now is not the underlying intent, but tone and timing. Trump’s recent statements — that Greenland is “essential for US security” and that “all options”, including force, remain open — should not necessarily be brushed off as mere rhetoric. By refusing to rule out military action against a NATO ally’s territory, Trump has compelled European capitals to treat his once-dismissed bravado as a genuine strategic contingency.

So much for the post-Cold War narrative that territorial revisionism was the monopoly of official adversaries. Denmark, for its part, has reacted sharply. The Danish foreign ministry, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, made clear that Greenland is not for sale and that any suggestion otherwise is unacceptable. European leaders have closed ranks, with France, Germany, and the EU Commission........

© Blitz