Donald Trump has sparked a fresh row with Denmark after appointing a special envoy to Greenland, the vast Arctic island he has said he would like to annex.

In response to a question from the BBC about the new role of Jeff Landry, the Republican governor of Louisiana, Trump said the US needed Greenland for “national protection” and that “we have to have it”.

Landry, he said, would “lead the charge” as special envoy to Greenland, a semi-autonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

The move has angered Copenhagen, which said it would call the US ambassador for “an explanation”. Greenland’s prime minister said the island must “decide our own future” and its “territorial integrity must be respected”.

Gov Landry said in a post on X that it was an honour to serve in a “volunteer position to make Greenland a part of the US”.

Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has revived his long-standing interest in Greenland, citing its strategic location and mineral wealth.

He has refused to rule out using force to secure control of the island, a stance that has shocked Denmark, a Nato ally that has traditionally enjoyed close relations with Washington.

“We’ll have to work that out,” Trump added. “We need Greenland for national security, not minerals.”

Trump specifically mentioned Chinese and Russian ships as potential threats in the nearby seas.