The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has launched a coordinated plan aimed at bringing Greenland under American control, according to a report by The New York Times, citing unnamed sources familiar with the initiative.
The approach reportedly focuses on influencing public opinion among Greenland’s residents rather than pursuing any form of military or coercive action.
The strategy, according to the NYT, has been the subject of multiple discussions within the U.S. National Security Council and involves several federal departments, each of which has been issued specific instructions. At the core of the plan is an effort to persuade the population of Greenland – roughly 57,000 people – to voluntarily support the idea of joining the United States.
The report suggests that the Trump administration has been exploring the deployment of targeted media campaigns, including advertising and social media outreach. These efforts are intended to highlight what American officials describe as a shared cultural heritage between Greenlanders and Alaska’s indigenous Inuit population, which they believe could be leveraged to build support for integration with the U.S.
Additionally, the administration is reportedly considering financial incentives as a key component of its approach. According to The New York Times, one proposal involves offering annual subsidies of $10,000 to every resident of Greenland. This would replace the approximately $600 million in annual support currently provided by Denmark, under whose sovereignty Greenland remains as an autonomous territory.
Proponents within the Trump administration argue that such expenditures could be offset by anticipated revenues from exploiting Greenland’s natural resources. These include rare earth elements, copper, gold, uranium, and petroleum reserves. The report quotes U.S. officials who believe that, in the long term, these resources could make Greenland a strategically and economically valuable acquisition for the United States.
The concept of acquiring Greenland is not new. During his first term in office, Donald Trump expressed interest in purchasing the island, a proposal that was publicly rejected by the Danish government. At the time, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the idea as “absurd.” Nonetheless, the current plan appears to be more structured and is framed as a long-term campaign to win the support of Greenland’s local population rather than a direct appeal to Copenhagen.
Public opinion in the United States does not appear to favour such moves. According to a poll cited by the NYT, 62 percent of Americans view the idea of U.S. control over Canada and Greenland negatively.
Danish officials have continued to reject American interest in Greenland. Statements from Copenhagen have consistently described any notion of transferring sovereignty over the island as unacceptable. Danish authorities regard Greenland’s status as a matter of national integrity, and any attempt by a foreign power to alter it without Danish consent would likely provoke a diplomatic backlash.
Greenland, which lies between the Arctic and North Atlantic Oceans, holds increasing geostrategic importance due to climate change and its potential to unlock new shipping routes and resource extraction opportunities. The island is already home to a U.S. air base at Thule and has been the subject of growing attention from global powers, including China and Russia.
The Trump administration’s renewed efforts to gain influence over Greenland come amid a broader push to assert U.S. interests in the Arctic. Washington has recently released policy documents calling for greater American presence in the region, citing both security concerns and competition with other states.
There has been no official statement from the White House in response to the NYT report. However, the revelations are likely to draw criticism from both U.S. allies and opponents, particularly in Europe. While the plan stops short of proposing any formal annexation, the notion of encouraging secession from Denmark may be viewed as an infringement on the internal affairs of a NATO partner.
As of now, Denmark retains full control over Greenland’s foreign affairs and defence matters, while local authorities in Nuuk manage domestic policy. Any change in the island’s status would require extensive negotiations and legal frameworks, both within the Kingdom of Denmark and potentially at the international level.
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