The new consulate appears aimed at deepening the U.S. presence in Greenland. It's in keeping with a global superpower intent on buying, annexing or simply taking over Greenland 'one way or another.'Show Caption
Call it a mega MAGA upgrade. Or "Trump tower," as some Greenland locals not-so-fondly describe it.The United States was due on May 21 to inaugurate a new top diplomatic building in Nuuk, the capital of the world's largest island. It may be a premise that is more architecturally and diplomatically in keeping with a global superpower that's intent on buying, annexing or simply taking over Greenland "one way or the other."The new consulate appears aimed at deepening the U.S. diplomatic presence in Greenland.Out goes the little, red Nordic-style wooden house near Nuuk’s fishing harbor. A USA TODAY reporter simply walked up to it and knocked on the front door when he visited Greenland last year. The U.S. consul at the time did the expected thing: Monica Bland just opened it. No fuss. No fanfare. No obvious security beyond a few CCTV cameras.In comes a sleek new building off Nuuk's main drag that was constructed in 2024. Sermitsiaq, a local Greenlandic news outlet, says the new consulate will occupy three floors of the building, which amounts to about 3,200 square feet. It is equipped with bulletproof glass, security grilles and space for armored vehicles. A representative for the U.S. consul in Nuuk did not immediately respond to a request for more details about the new space.It was not clear, for example, if the U.S. will be sending more diplomats to Greenland.President Donald Trump insists he will "get" Greenland, though the Arctic territory is not for sale and Denmark − which owns it − and its European supporters have quietly indicated that they won't give it up without a fight, at least a verbal one. Greenlanders, poll after poll shows, really don't want to become Americans.Still, the new consulate's unveiling comes as U.S. special envoy Jeff Landry, appointed by Trump last year to push for American control of Greenland and otherwise known in Louisiana for being that state's governor, arrived in Nuuk on May 17 to attend an Arctic-focused conference. Landry, who said he was in Greenland to "listen and learn," also met with Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Foreign Minister Mute Egede."We believe there is progress, and from Greenland's side we are focused on finding a solution that is good for us all, and most importantly that threats of annexation, takeover or a purchase of Greenland and the Greenlandic people does not occur," Nielsen told reporters after meeting with Landry.There was no immediate statement from Landry. A representative for him did not return a comment request.Since his appointment to the role in December, Landry has appeared to take an especially light-touch approach to making good on his mission. His trip to Nuuk this week is his first to Greenland.Greenland, Denmark and the U.S. have been holding high-level talks to resolve the crisis caused by Trump's assertion that the U.S. must acquire or control Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory owned by Denmark.Some of the talks have focused on the U.S. military presence in Greenland. The outcome of the ongoing negotiations have yet to be made public. The U.S. has one active base in Greenland, the Pituffik Space Base in the northwest. That's down from around 17 facilities in 1945. The U.S. decided itself to shutter the other facilities.Trump reestablished American diplomatic presence in Nuuk in 2020 during his first term.Nielsen, Greenland's leader, told Sermitsiaq that he would not be attending the ceremony for the new consulate because protests were planned. The protesters were expected to bring banners and stand with their backs to the consulate for two minutes to show their dissatisfaction with the Trump administration.
