Is It Possible for Trump to Purchase Greenland? Technically, Yes. Explore His Options.
Here’s what actions the president-elect can take regarding the autonomous territory.
TroibNews 
Donald Trump’s interest in acquiring Greenland might seem absurd, but it is not entirely out of the realm of possibility.
If the president-elect is serious about acquiring the world’s largest island, he could potentially pursue a purchase if Greenland declares independence from Denmark. Another option might involve establishing it as a commonwealth similar to Puerto Rico. Alternatively, he could explore arrangements akin to those the U.S. has with Micronesia and the Marshall Islands, which allow for military access in exchange for defense and financial support.
“There are tons of variations in terms of what is administered by the Interior Department,” said Alex Gray, who served as the National Security Council chief of staff during the first Trump administration. “It’s not a one-size fits all and we have precedent for doing a lot of options.”
If purchasing Greenland doesn't pan out, Trump could look into adding more military bases in the region to monitor Russia and China. Should the Greenlanders give their consent — which is uncertain — he could explore ways to assert more influence over the territory.
Here are the potential actions the incoming president might take to adjust the U.S.'s relationship with Greenland, as well as the challenges he may face.
**Purchase It**
Within Trump’s circle, people are beginning to seriously contemplate negotiations that could lead to Greenland becoming a U.S. territory. Gray remarked that this reflects a broader effort to recalibrate American foreign policy towards the Western Hemisphere amidst rising Chinese and Russian interests in the area.
“I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility that he could do a direct purchase,” he said.
Gray cited Denmark’s 17th-century acquisition of St. Croix from France as a possible historical model. This territory was later purchased by the U.S. through a treaty in 1916 and is now part of the Virgin Islands.
This concept isn’t entirely new: the U.S. had previously offered to purchase Greenland from Denmark, a long-held secret that came to light in the 1990s.
However, even if a sale were feasible, many Greenlanders are skeptical about joining the U.S. The island’s prime minister has expressed a desire for independence from Denmark in the next decade, stating that Greenland is “not for sale and never will be for sale.”
Moreover, Trump’s allies recognize that negotiations surrounding Greenland would be complex due to the significant economic stakes. The island is home to vast reserves of unexplored minerals and hydrocarbons beneath its melting Arctic ice sheets.
In theory, Greenland operates with many powers of an independent nation. It is a self-governing territory of Denmark, which affords it considerable autonomy, allowing the island to elect its own leaders while Copenhagen oversees its foreign policy and national defense.
“Denmark doesn’t claim to own it,” noted Scott Anderson, a former State Department lawyer and national security expert. “I am quite confident that the government of Denmark, as we’ve seen them say things, doesn’t think it has the legal authority to sell Greenland to anyone.”
The last time the U.S. acquired territory outright was at the end of the 19th century with the Philippines from Spain, and international law has since rendered the buying, selling, or stealing of territory a contentious issue.
“If it’s not internationally recognized as valid and legitimate, then that’s going to cause all sorts of complications in actually benefiting from that relationship with Greenland,” Anderson added.
**Take It**
While Trump won’t dismiss the possibility of military invasion, such an action would provoke significant international outrage.
“That would be taking a page from the Saddam Hussein and Putin playbook,” cautioned Brian Finucane, a former legal adviser at the State Department under three presidents. “This rhetoric from Trump is concerning because he is the incoming U.S. president and his words by themselves have foreign relations consequences.”
**Strike a Deal**
If Greenland opts for independence, the U.S. could still negotiate ways to maintain a degree of control over the island.
There are existing arrangements called Compacts of Free Association with nations like Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau, which might serve as a model for Greenland.
Such a compact would grant the U.S. exclusive military access and authority over which nations are permitted to establish military bases in Greenland. This could enhance the Pentagon’s presence in the area and counteract Chinese influence on Arctic shipping routes as climate change alters the landscape.
This relationship resembles that of Greenland with Denmark, except that the Pacific nations are fully independent. The Trump administration had contemplated establishing a COFA with Greenland during his first term.
Some former U.S. officials contend that this model could alleviate pressure on Copenhagen, considering Greenland is significantly larger than Denmark, whose military is notably smaller than New York City’s police force.
“Denmark understands that Greenland is going to get independence,” Gray remarked. “They understand they don’t have the ability to defend Greenland post-independence.”
However, Trump’s prior implicit threats of military action regarding Greenland have already raised alarms in Germany and France. Even assisting Greenland in distancing itself from Denmark could carry significant diplomatic consequences.
**Flex Some Muscle**
If purchasing Greenland or structuring a defense deal isn't feasible, the president-elect might still manage to increase the presence of U.S. military bases on the island.
There are considerable gaps in surveillance coverage in parts of the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, creating opportunities for the U.S. to deploy advanced sensors to supplement early-warning radars already set up at Pituffik Space Base, located at the northwestern tip of Greenland.
“Norway keeps an eye on it, we keep an eye on it,” stated Jim Townsend, a former senior Pentagon official focused on NATO and Arctic defense issues. “That fills a gap. That’s important.”
Gray underscored the importance of preventing Russia and China from gaining influence in Greenland, noting, “The Chinese are experts at exploiting these developing, lightly populated countries and using them for their own purposes. [Denmark] understands that a Greenland that’s susceptible to coercion is not in their interest or our interest.”
Nahal Toosi contributed to this report.
Ian Smith for TROIB News
If the president-elect is serious about acquiring the world’s largest island, he could potentially pursue a purchase if Greenland declares independence from Denmark. Another option might involve establishing it as a commonwealth similar to Puerto Rico. Alternatively, he could explore arrangements akin to those the U.S. has with Micronesia and the Marshall Islands, which allow for military access in exchange for defense and financial support.
“There are tons of variations in terms of what is administered by the Interior Department,” said Alex Gray, who served as the National Security Council chief of staff during the first Trump administration. “It’s not a one-size fits all and we have precedent for doing a lot of options.”
If purchasing Greenland doesn't pan out, Trump could look into adding more military bases in the region to monitor Russia and China. Should the Greenlanders give their consent — which is uncertain — he could explore ways to assert more influence over the territory.
Here are the potential actions the incoming president might take to adjust the U.S.'s relationship with Greenland, as well as the challenges he may face.
**Purchase It**
Within Trump’s circle, people are beginning to seriously contemplate negotiations that could lead to Greenland becoming a U.S. territory. Gray remarked that this reflects a broader effort to recalibrate American foreign policy towards the Western Hemisphere amidst rising Chinese and Russian interests in the area.
“I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility that he could do a direct purchase,” he said.
Gray cited Denmark’s 17th-century acquisition of St. Croix from France as a possible historical model. This territory was later purchased by the U.S. through a treaty in 1916 and is now part of the Virgin Islands.
This concept isn’t entirely new: the U.S. had previously offered to purchase Greenland from Denmark, a long-held secret that came to light in the 1990s.
However, even if a sale were feasible, many Greenlanders are skeptical about joining the U.S. The island’s prime minister has expressed a desire for independence from Denmark in the next decade, stating that Greenland is “not for sale and never will be for sale.”
Moreover, Trump’s allies recognize that negotiations surrounding Greenland would be complex due to the significant economic stakes. The island is home to vast reserves of unexplored minerals and hydrocarbons beneath its melting Arctic ice sheets.
In theory, Greenland operates with many powers of an independent nation. It is a self-governing territory of Denmark, which affords it considerable autonomy, allowing the island to elect its own leaders while Copenhagen oversees its foreign policy and national defense.
“Denmark doesn’t claim to own it,” noted Scott Anderson, a former State Department lawyer and national security expert. “I am quite confident that the government of Denmark, as we’ve seen them say things, doesn’t think it has the legal authority to sell Greenland to anyone.”
The last time the U.S. acquired territory outright was at the end of the 19th century with the Philippines from Spain, and international law has since rendered the buying, selling, or stealing of territory a contentious issue.
“If it’s not internationally recognized as valid and legitimate, then that’s going to cause all sorts of complications in actually benefiting from that relationship with Greenland,” Anderson added.
**Take It**
While Trump won’t dismiss the possibility of military invasion, such an action would provoke significant international outrage.
“That would be taking a page from the Saddam Hussein and Putin playbook,” cautioned Brian Finucane, a former legal adviser at the State Department under three presidents. “This rhetoric from Trump is concerning because he is the incoming U.S. president and his words by themselves have foreign relations consequences.”
**Strike a Deal**
If Greenland opts for independence, the U.S. could still negotiate ways to maintain a degree of control over the island.
There are existing arrangements called Compacts of Free Association with nations like Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau, which might serve as a model for Greenland.
Such a compact would grant the U.S. exclusive military access and authority over which nations are permitted to establish military bases in Greenland. This could enhance the Pentagon’s presence in the area and counteract Chinese influence on Arctic shipping routes as climate change alters the landscape.
This relationship resembles that of Greenland with Denmark, except that the Pacific nations are fully independent. The Trump administration had contemplated establishing a COFA with Greenland during his first term.
Some former U.S. officials contend that this model could alleviate pressure on Copenhagen, considering Greenland is significantly larger than Denmark, whose military is notably smaller than New York City’s police force.
“Denmark understands that Greenland is going to get independence,” Gray remarked. “They understand they don’t have the ability to defend Greenland post-independence.”
However, Trump’s prior implicit threats of military action regarding Greenland have already raised alarms in Germany and France. Even assisting Greenland in distancing itself from Denmark could carry significant diplomatic consequences.
**Flex Some Muscle**
If purchasing Greenland or structuring a defense deal isn't feasible, the president-elect might still manage to increase the presence of U.S. military bases on the island.
There are considerable gaps in surveillance coverage in parts of the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, creating opportunities for the U.S. to deploy advanced sensors to supplement early-warning radars already set up at Pituffik Space Base, located at the northwestern tip of Greenland.
“Norway keeps an eye on it, we keep an eye on it,” stated Jim Townsend, a former senior Pentagon official focused on NATO and Arctic defense issues. “That fills a gap. That’s important.”
Gray underscored the importance of preventing Russia and China from gaining influence in Greenland, noting, “The Chinese are experts at exploiting these developing, lightly populated countries and using them for their own purposes. [Denmark] understands that a Greenland that’s susceptible to coercion is not in their interest or our interest.”
Nahal Toosi contributed to this report.
Ian Smith for TROIB News
