US considers offering $10,000–$100,000 to Greenland residents to influence them away from Denmark, a report claims
Although the precise amount to be sent is not confirmed, US officials, including White House aides, have reportedly discussed figures ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 per person, according to two sources cited by the news agency.
According to four Reuters sources, U.S. officials are considering sending one-time cash payments to the people of Greenland to persuade them to separate from Denmark and perhaps join the United States.
While it’s unclear exactly how much money they plan to send, two sources cited by the news agency said U.S. officials, including White House aides, have discussed figures ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 per person.
The idea of directly paying the island’s 57,000 inhabitants to sway their allegiances exemplifies how the U.S. is reportedly planning to “buy” the island, even as leaders in both Copenhagen and Nuuk maintain that the territory is not for sale.
The U.S. administration is not only considering financial incentives to gain control of Greenland; they have not yet ruled out military action.
However, this proposal to pay for loyalty is unlikely to be well-received by the international community.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen had previously said, “Enough is enough… no more fantasies about annexation,” after Trump told reporters on Sunday that the US needed to acquire the island.
Denmark and Greenland receive support from European leaders
Leaders in Canada, as well as in European countries, have sided with Denmark on this issue, stating that the right to determine which country the island belongs to rests solely with the people of Denmark.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that both the US and Denmark are NATO members.
On Tuesday, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Denmark issued a joint statement saying that only Greenland and Denmark can decide on matters related to their relationship.
During a press briefing on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged that Trump and his national security advisors were “looking at what a potential purchase would look like.”
Meanwhile, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he would meet with his Danish counterpart in Washington next week to discuss Greenland.
