Orla Joelsen, a prominent Greenlandic political activist and former parliamentary candidate, sharply criticized Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry on June 21, 2026, after Landry suggested Greenland could become the 51st U.S. state to mark America’s upcoming 251st Independence Day. “As a governor, you must surely have a bad taste in your mouth suggesting that another people and country should simply become part of the United States,” Joelsen wrote on X. “Greenland is not a vacant territory waiting to be added as a 51st state. We are a people with our own history, culture, language, and democratic right to determine our own future.”
Joelsen specifically objected to the timing of Landry’s remark, which came on Ullortuneq, Greenland’s National Day. “On Greenland’s National Day, a message of respect for Greenlandic self-determination would have been far more appropriate than repeating American expansionist fantasies,” Joelsen wrote. “I hope the voters of Louisiana will remember this attitude when the time comes to choose their next governor. Shame on you.”
What Landry Posted
Joelsen’s criticism responded to a post Landry published earlier the same day. “Happy National Day to all the people across the incredible island of Greenland,” Landry wrote. “May today serve as a reminder of your rich culture, traditions, and values that define your heritage. As America inches closer to her 250th Independence Day, we join in the celebration of liberty and opportunity. Perhaps America’s 251st birthday can be celebrated with the addition of it’s 51st state!” Landry, the governor of Louisiana, was appointed by President Trump in December 2025 as the administration’s special envoy to Greenland.
Greenland’s National Day
Ullortuneq, Greenland’s National Day, marks the anniversary of the Act on Greenland Self-Government, which entered into force on June 21, 2009. The act recognizes Greenlanders as a people with the right to self-determination under international law, establishes Greenlandic as the territory’s official language, and creates a legal pathway for Greenland to pursue full independence from Denmark through negotiation and referendum, should its people choose to do so.
Background on Landry’s Role and Reception in Greenland
Landry’s appointment as special envoy drew criticism from Greenlandic and Danish officials from the outset, and his subsequent visits to the territory have been met with open hostility from residents. During a visit to Nuuk, Landry was heckled by residents shouting “Don’t come here,” with some making obscene gestures as he passed. Pipaluk Lynge, who chairs Greenland’s foreign and security policy committee in its parliament, the Inatsisartut, criticized the visit as “a clear attempt to divide us” during sensitive negotiations over the territory’s future, and singled out Landry’s attempt to offer chocolate chip cookies to a group of Greenlandic children as emblematic of what she viewed as a tone-deaf approach. “I think it’s remarkable that they feel welcome even though they weren’t invited,” Lynge said.
Polling conducted in Greenland has consistently shown overwhelming public opposition to joining the United States. NBC News cited a February survey by pollster Sune Steffen Hansen finding 76 percent of Greenlanders opposed American annexation and just 8 percent in favor. “We don’t want to be Americans,” said Qarsoq Høegh-Dam, a Greenlandic politician who represents the territory in the Danish parliament.
Trump’s Broader Interest in Greenland
Landry’s comments reflect the Trump administration’s sustained interest in acquiring or gaining greater control over Greenland, which Trump has pursued since his first term. Trump has cited Greenland’s strategic Arctic location and substantial mineral resources as key national security interests, and that the administration has not fully ruled out the use of force to acquire the territory. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth testified before Congress that the Pentagon maintains “plans for any contingency” regarding Greenland, language that has alarmed both Greenlandic and Danish officials. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) has said he would introduce a resolution explicitly blocking Trump from using military force to invade Greenland.
Landry, for his part, has publicly framed his mission in terms of self-determination rather than annexation. Speaking to CNBC, Landry invoked the Monroe Doctrine and said, “I think we should ask the Greenlanders,” adding that “the President supports an independent Greenland with economic ties and trade opportunities for the United States.” He has argued the U.S. could offer Greenland a better economic relationship than it currently has with Denmark or the broader European Union.
Joelsen’s Activist Background
Joelsen has built a substantial public following in Greenland through sustained social media activism opposing American annexation efforts, accumulating tens of thousands of followers on X. He organized a large demonstration in Nuuk in March 2025 protesting U.S. interest in the territory, and ran as a parliamentary candidate for the Atassut party in Greenland’s subsequent elections. He has previously directed similar pointed messages at other American officials who suggested acquiring Greenland, including Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), telling him in one post, “You cannot acquire Greenland. As you know, the majority of Greenlandic has said NO. NO is a NO. Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland.”
Denmark’s Position
The Danish government has maintained consistently that Greenland is “not for sale,” while affirming that any decision about the territory’s future status rests with the Greenlandic people themselves under the terms of the 2009 self-government act. Denmark continues to hold sovereignty over Greenland’s foreign affairs and defense policy, even as the territory exercises self-government over most domestic matters.
No Response From Landry’s Office
Landry’s office did not immediately respond to Joelsen’s criticism. Landry has previously declined to respond directly to similar backlash during his trips to the territory, telling reporters at one point that he was in Greenland “simply to build relationships, to look, to listen and to learn.”
Landry faces reelection as Louisiana’s governor, a detail Joelsen referenced directly in his post by urging Louisiana voters to “remember this attitude” when they next choose their governor.