US officials have discussed offering lump-sum payments to Greenlanders as part of a bid to persuade the Arctic island to break from Denmark and potentially join the United States, according to multiple sources familiar with the deliberations, underscoring how far Washington is prepared to go to secure the strategic territory.
The talks, involving White House aides and national security officials, have floated payments ranging from $10,000 to as much as $100,000 per person, sources said, though no final figures or logistics have been decided.
Greenland has a population of about 57,000, meaning the higher-end proposal could approach $6 billion.
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Buying Greenland?
The idea offers a window into how the US might attempt to effectively “buy” Greenland, despite firm rejection from authorities in both Copenhagen and Nuuk, who insist the island is not for sale.
It also risks appearing highly transactional toward a population with a long-running debate over independence and economic reliance on Denmark.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen pushed back sharply after US President Donald Trump again said Washington needed to acquire the island.
“Enough is enough. No more fantasies about annexation,” Nielsen wrote on social media.
European leaders have reacted with growing concern.