President Donald Trump's pursuit of Greenland has evolved from rhetorical musings into a coordinated influence campaign combining financial incentives, exploitation of historical injustices, and covert operations to undermine Danish sovereignty over the Arctic territory.
The $10,000-Per-Person Strategy
The Trump administration is studying a plan to offer approximately $10,000 annually to each of Greenland's 57,000 residents as a replacement for the $600 million in subsidies Denmark currently provides. However, analysts note this would actually give Greenlanders $30 million less per year than they currently receive from Copenhagen.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers in a closed briefing that the administration's preference is to purchase Greenland from Denmark. The White House maintains that "all options are on the table," with press secretary Karoline Leavitt stating diplomacy remains "the president's first option."
Exploiting Colonial Trauma
The influence campaign appears to leverage Denmark's 2025 apology for forcing contraception on thousands of Greenlandic Indigenous women and girls between 1960 and 1991. An independent investigation found over 350 documented cases of women—some as young as 12—being fitted with intrauterine devices without consent.
Denmark has agreed to compensate an estimated 4,500 affected women with approximately $46,000 each. The timing of Denmark's apology coincided with revelations about American influence operations, leading some observers to question whether the accelerated reconciliation effort was prompted by the scandal's exploitation.
Covert Influence Operations Exposed
Danish broadcaster DR reported that at least three Americans with connections to Trump have been conducting covert influence operations in Greenland. According to Danish government and security sources, these operatives compiled lists of pro-American Greenlanders, identified opponents of annexation, and collected cases to portray Denmark negatively in U.S. media.
The goal, sources believe, was to "penetrate Greenlandic society in order to weaken relations with Denmark from within." Denmark summoned the top U.S. diplomat for talks, though the State Department declined to comment on "actions of private U.S. citizens."
Military Threats Alarm Allies
Following the U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Trump's Greenland ambitions have taken on new urgency. White House officials confirmed the military "is always an option," while top adviser Stephen Miller asserted "nobody is going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland."
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that a U.S. attack on Greenland would "spell the end of NATO." Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen responded forcefully: "Enough is enough. No more pressure. No more innuendo. No more fantasies about annexation."
European Unity and Republican Dissent
Seven European leaders—from Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom—issued a joint statement defending Greenland's sovereignty, declaring it "belongs to its people."
Some Republicans have broken with Trump. Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska called the approach "appalling," noting Denmark is "one of our best friends." Senate Majority Leader John Thune reportedly said military action is "not something anybody is contemplating seriously."
Strategic Prize
Greenland's strategic value extends beyond its position between the U.S. and Russia. The territory sits astride the GIUK Gap—a crucial naval chokepoint—and offers access to emerging Arctic shipping routes as ice melts. Its untapped reserves of oil, gas, and rare earth elements make it economically significant as global demand for critical minerals grows.
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