US President Donald Trump is considering offering $1 million to every resident of Greenland if the island votes in a referendum to join the United States, the British tabloid "Daily Mail" reported.
The idea comes amid a heated dispute in the last two weeks over the status of the Arctic island with a population of about 57,000 people, which Trump defines as key to American security. After talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump said he had reached an agreement on "the framework of a future deal" for control of Greenland and the wider Arctic region.
Yesterday, Trump ruled out the use of force to take the island, and instead focused his efforts on persuading Greenlanders to secede from Denmark.
According to the "Daily Mail", the proposal would cost $1 million (£750,000 or €850,000) per person, which would mean a total cost of up to $57 billion. The publication notes that the amount is a small fraction of the approximately $800 billion the United States spends annually on defense.
The plan would reduce Greenland's dependence on Danish subsidies and transform the island's economy, but requires local authorities to agree to a referendum and likely support of at least 60% "yes" for the funds to be disbursed. The White House was previously reported to be considering an offer of up to £75,000 per person.
Denmark has again rejected any possibility of a deal without its consent. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said: "It will not happen that the US owns Greenland. That is a red line". Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen also reacted sharply: "Enough is enough. No more annexation fantasies."
Rutte said he was working "behind the scenes" with US officials on a solution to the issue and was praised by Trump as "excellent". Trump added that he was suspending plans to impose tariffs on Britain and other countries that resist the seizure of the island.
Last night, NATO troops discussed an option in which Denmark would cede "small parts of Greenland" territory for US bases, with The New York Times comparing the proposal to the British bases in Cyprus. Trump told reporters that it was "the best long-term deal", and specified: "Infinite. There is no time limit. This is a deal that is forever."
In Truth Social, he wrote: "Based on a very productive meeting that I had with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, we have laid out the framework for a future agreement regarding Greenland and indeed the entire Arctic region." He added: "This decision, if adopted, would be great for the United States of America and all NATO countries."
The tensions have shaken US relations with some allies and drawn criticism after he backed away from the tariffs. At the Davos forum, Trump made sharp comments about European partners, including: "Without us, you would all be speaking German, maybe with a little Japanese." He later warned that "bad things" would happen to Britain and Europe if they did not curb immigration and end their push for green energy: "They have to change their way of life".
US Treasury Secretary Scott Besant said the dispute could threaten Prime Minister Keir Starmer's trade deal with the US, saying the UK had "let them down" and that it could cause "problems" in economic relations. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham welcomed the withdrawal of force but said Trump had made a "damn good case" for why the US should have Greenland and called on NATO to help Trump acquire the island.