Can LA Governor Jeff Landry Legally Serve as Greenland Envoy?
On December 22nd, 2025, President Trump appointed Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as a “Special Envoy” to Greenland, a North American territory belonging to Denmark. The appointment is part of an ongoing push from the Trump administration to incorporate Greenland into U.S. territories in the name of national security, as the northern territory is well placed geographically for specific areas of defense.
While parties opposed to Trump’s claim to Greenland call the whole movement an overreach of power, many Louisianians are concerned over the legality of Landry’s appointment, specifically. Louisiana law prohibits one individual from holding two separate public offices at one time. Opposition members immediately began pointing out the potential discrepancy and debating whether or not Landry could serve as Louisiana governor and as an envoy to Greenland.
The particular law prohibits an individual from holding two full-time jobs in government at one time, and specifically two full-time jobs under Louisiana’s government. A previous decision from the current Attorney General Liz Murrill redefined the law to include both part-time and full-time employment and federal and state employment. For Jeff Landry, however, this does not include volunteer roles, which includes his position as envoy to Greenland. As long as Landry remains unpaid, the two-role appointment remains legal under state law.
Still, some Louisianians are concerned whether or not Landry can focus on being governor of a low-ranked state and being envoy to a territory threatened with invasion. Louisiana consistently ranks low on qualify-of-life evaluations among other states. It is currently ranked 50th for overall evaluation—50th in crime and economy, 49th in natural environment, 48th in infostructure, etc… Jeff Landry and his administration has a lot of work to do to improve the lives of his constituents, especially during a midterm year.
As for his role as envoy, it is made difficult by the one-sidedness of the role. Typically, envoys and diplomats are welcomed by the other state and given special allowances and privileges. As Landry has made it clear that he sides with Trump’s effort to “to make Greenland a part of the U.S.” Denmark, who has actively denied the U.S.’s claims and efforts to take Greenland, is refusing to work with Landry as a sanctioned diplomat. Landry is tasked with balancing between diplomacy and downright invasion of an ally state’s territory.
As the Trump administration balances several controversies and large-scale plans, Landry’s role as envoy will continue to take center stage. With midterm elections coming up this year, his administration will see feedback from constituents in the form of election results. While Landry is legally allowed to serve as envoy, it remains to be seen if he can be successful in both roles at one time.