Trump's Greenland Proposal Revived: Direct Payments to Residents Considered
On January 8, 2026, sources revealed that the administration of US President Donald Trump is considering an unprecedented approach to persuade Greenland's residents to separate from Denmark and potentially join the United States by offering direct cash payments to individuals on the island.
According to sources who requested anonymity, discussions within the US government, including the White House, have included figures ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 per person, although final details regarding the amounts and payment methods have yet to be determined.
This proposal is seen by observers as a practical attempt to overcome the political obstacles that hindered a previous US proposal to purchase Greenland, an Arctic territory with approximately 57,000 residents, while officials in Copenhagen and Greenland emphasize that the island is not for sale.
The US initiative has sparked strong reactions from Europe. EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas stated that the EU is discussing its response should the US threat to take over Greenland be deemed serious and credible.
She added during a press conference in Cairo with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty that "the news we are hearing about Greenland is extremely concerning."
President Donald Trump reiterated that the United States needs Greenland for national security and strategic reasons in the Arctic, an area gaining military and economic significance amid increasing international competition.
Greenland enjoys considerable autonomy but is officially a territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, which is a member of NATO (NATO) and the European Union.
In this context, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen previously warned that any hostile US actions against Greenland could lead to the collapse of NATO and the post-World War II global security system.
Amid financial offers and sovereignty concerns, Greenland remains at the center of a growing geopolitical conflict, with the question:
Who controls the keys to the Arctic?
