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President Donald Trump’s ambition to acquire Greenland is gaining momentum, with a senior administration official suggesting that meaningful US action on the Arctic island could come within “weeks or months.”
Thomas Dans, Trump’s Arctic commissioner and a key advocate of the plan, said the president is determined to move quickly on Greenland, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark but holds vast mineral wealth and strategic military importance.
“This is a train route with multiple stops,” Dans told USA Today. “Things could move on an express basis, skip the local stops and go direct to the main station. That’s where President Trump wants to move it — at high speed.”
‘We need to get the people of Greenland on board’
While Dans believes progress on negotiations could come soon, he acknowledged that completing any acquisition would take longer and require public support in Greenland.
“We need to get the people of Greenland on board,” he said, noting that although most of Greenland’s 57,000 residents support eventual independence from Denmark, they strongly oppose becoming a US state.
Dans added that while “things can happen quickly from a transactional standpoint,” building trust among Greenlanders “will require time and effort from the US side.”
Both Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly said the island is not for sale.
Vance to lead high-level Greenland talks
Dans’ remarks come as Vice President JD Vance prepares to host senior Danish and Greenlandic officials at the White House on January 14, according to US officials, the news outlet stated.
Trump has publicly insisted that the US must “have” Greenland, citing concerns that Russia or China could seek influence or control over the territory.
Buying Greenland or reshaping sovereignty
Trump’s preferred option remains purchasing Greenland outright or gaining control through diplomatic arrangements, according to White House statements and officials familiar with the discussions.
Still, Trump and his advisers have refused to rule out the use of force if diplomacy fails.
Cash incentives and independence push discussed
Among the ideas discussed within the administration is offering Greenlanders direct payments — potentially between $10,000 and $100,000 per person — to encourage faster independence from Denmark.
Under such a scenario, an independent Greenland could enter a Compact of Free Association with the US, receiving exclusive American security guarantees in exchange for economic support.
Another proposal includes leasing Greenland for an extended period. Trump has publicly dismissed that idea.
“Countries have to have ownership and you defend ownership,” Trump said recently. “You don’t defend leases. And we’ll have to defend Greenland.”
NATO tensions and global alarm
Trump’s interest in annexing Greenland has raised concerns in European capitals, particularly because the US and Denmark are NATO allies bound by mutual defence commitments.
The administration’s willingness to pursue unconventional actions has heightened those concerns, especially after US forces recently captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a move that stunned the international community.
English (US) ·