NUUK, Greenland — A senior U.S. envoy departed Greenland on Wednesday after local officials declined to attend the opening of a new American consulate. The snub marked the latest setback in the administration’s long-running effort to acquire the Arctic territory.
Little Diaper Donnie had dispatched Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry to Greenland with a proposal that local leaders described as “an offer we didn’t understand was an offer.” Landry arrived wearing camouflage pants and a tone that one official characterized as “aggressively transactional.”
His itinerary included a ceremony for the new consulate, which the United States said would “deepen ties.” Greenlandic leaders did not show up. A spokesperson for the Greenland government said the event conflicted with a standing commitment to preserve the country’s independence.
“We value partnerships based on mutual respect, not acquisition,” said Aqqaluk Lynge, a former Greenlandic parliamentarian who observed the visit. “When someone shows up and says they want to buy your country, you don’t bring a welcome cake.”
Landry then held a press conference where he argued that no other nation had cared about Greenland before the former president. He pointed to the absence of previous high-level diplomatic visits as proof of American concern. Local reporters pointed out that Denmark and Canada both maintain consulates in Nuuk and have done so for years.
The question period ended abruptly when Landry declined to answer further questions. Video from the scene shows him walking away from the microphones as a reporter called out, “Where are you going back home? Good luck going back to Louisiana, buddy.”
Landry did not respond. He boarded a U.S. military aircraft and departed within the hour.
The White House later issued a statement saying the trip had been “a highly productive dialogue on shared interests.” It did not specify what those interests were.
