Holiday Ayo - US President Donald Trump has sparked a new dispute with Denmark after appointing a special envoy to Greenland, the vast Arctic island he wants to annex.

The special envoy appointed by Trump is Jeff Landry, the Republican Governor of Louisiana.

Quoted by the BBC on Tuesday (December 23), Landry confirmed that he would lead efforts as special envoy to Greenland, which is a semi-autonomous part of Denmark.

He also expressed on social media that it would be an honor to volunteer to make Greenland part of the US.

Trump has long asserted his desire to annex Greenland, a region in the Arctic. He has asserted that the US needs Greenland for its national security and has said the US should own the territory.

However, Greenland is within Danish sovereignty. Trump has also not ruled out the possibility of using force to secure control of Greenland.

Trump's move surprised Denmark, a NATO ally that has long enjoyed close ties with Washington.

"We have to get this done. We need Greenland for national security, not minerals," Trump said.

Trump has also frequently cited Russian and Chinese vessels in the Arctic as potential threats.

This move clearly angered Denmark, which summoned the US Ambassador for an explanation.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen described Landry's appointment as "very disappointing." He also warned Washington to respect Danish sovereignty.

"As long as we have a kingdom consisting of Denmark, the Faroe Islands, and Greenland, we cannot accept actions that undermine our territorial integrity," he said.

Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the region was ready to cooperate with the US and other countries. However, this could only be done on the basis of mutual respect.

"The appointment of a special envoy changes nothing for us," he said.

"We will determine our own future. Greenland belongs to the Greenlandic people, and territorial integrity must be respected," he added.