Officials are discussing payments of up to $100,000 per resident as part of a strategy to encourage Greenland to break from Denmark, a proposal that could cost billions and has drawn sharp international resistance.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The Trump administration is considering a proposal to pay each resident of Greenland thousands of dollars as part of an effort to encourage the Arctic territory to separate from Denmark and align with the United States, according to reporting by Reuters.
U.S. officials, including White House aides, have discussed potential payment amounts ranging from $10,000 to as much as $100,000 per person, Reuters reported, citing sources familiar with the discussions. With Greenland’s population of roughly 57,000, the total cost of such a plan could range from more than $500 million to nearly $6 billion.
While the concept of a lump-sum payment to Greenlanders has circulated in past discussions, officials have become more serious in recent days and are now weighing higher figures as takeover talks intensify, according to the report.
The White House pointed to comments by Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who said during a Wednesday briefing that acquiring Greenland would advance U.S. national security interests.
“The acquisition of Greenland by the United States is not a new idea,” Leavitt said. She added that President Donald Trump believes such a move would help deter Russian and Chinese activity in the Arctic and that his team is actively discussing what a potential purchase could look like.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that he plans to meet with his Danish counterpart next week to discuss Greenland, signaling that diplomatic engagement on the issue is continuing.
Trump has repeatedly argued that the United States should acquire Greenland, citing its strategic location and mineral resources, which he says are critical for military technologies and Arctic security. On Sunday, Trump told reporters that Greenland is surrounded by Russian and Chinese vessels and said Denmark lacks the capacity to provide adequate defense of the territory.
“It’s so strategic,” Trump said aboard Air Force One. “We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it.”
Authorities in both Greenland and Denmark have firmly rejected the idea of a sale. Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen responded to Trump’s comments in a social media post, writing that the territory is not for sale and condemning what he described as pressure and fantasies of annexation.
“This is enough,” Nielsen wrote. “No more pressure. No more hints. No more fantasies about annexation.”
Nielsen reiterated on Tuesday that Greenland will remain part of Denmark, saying the territory’s status is grounded in international law and the principle of territorial integrity. He urged the United States to pursue dialogue through established diplomatic channels and existing agreements.
European leaders have also criticized the proposal, warning that it could undermine trust between the United States and Denmark, both NATO allies. Under the alliance’s mutual defense obligations, the idea of one ally seeking to acquire the territory of another has been described by critics as particularly sensitive.
Despite the backlash, the discussions underscore the Trump administration’s renewed focus on Greenland as competition with Russia and China intensifies in the Arctic, and as Washington looks for ways to expand its strategic footprint in the region.
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