Trump plots charm offensive to persuade Greenland
(MENAFN) The Trump administration is preparing a public relations campaign and financial incentives aimed at winning support from Greenland’s population as part of a renewed effort to bring the Arctic island under U.S. control, according to a New York Times report.
President Donald Trump has long argued that acquiring Greenland is essential for America’s national security and recently declared that he would “100% get” the territory. While he has previously hinted at using military means, the current strategy focuses more on persuasion than pressure.
According to anonymous U.S. officials cited by NYT, the plan includes social media campaigns, advertising, and coordinated efforts from various cabinet departments to sway public opinion among Greenland’s roughly 57,000 residents. A key component involves offering financial benefits—specifically, replacing Denmark’s annual $600 million in subsidies with direct payments of about $10,000 per Greenlander.
Some Trump aides believe these expenses could be offset by tapping into the island’s natural wealth, including rare earth minerals, uranium, copper, gold, and oil.
The campaign will also highlight cultural and historical connections, such as shared ancestry with people in Alaska and Arctic Canada, and the U.S. military’s presence in Greenland during World War II. At that time, American forces temporarily occupied the island after Nazi Germany took over Denmark. Today, the U.S. still maintains a military base and a ballistic missile early warning system there.
Greenland was granted home rule in 1979 and gained the right to declare full independence following a 2009 referendum. Although Denmark still oversees defense and foreign policy, the island has steadily moved toward greater autonomy.
Trump first proposed buying Greenland in 2019 and has revived the idea since returning to office, calling the island a valuable strategic and economic asset due to its location and untapped resources.
The proposal and a recent visit by senior U.S. officials—Vice President J.D. Vance and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz—have sparked backlash. Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen criticized Trump’s remarks as aggressive and thinly veiled threats against Denmark and Greenland.
Greenland’s newly elected Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen has called for unity among the island’s people, firmly rejecting any idea of U.S. ownership and declaring that “we do not belong to anyone else.”
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