President Donald Trump’s audacious plan to buy Greenland could come with a jaw-dropping price tag of up to $700 billion, according to reports.
The estimate was made by scholars and former U.S. officials, NBC News reported. The amount would swallow more than half of the Pentagon’s annual budget.
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House and the Pentagon for comment.
Trump has ramped up his threats to take over Greenland after the U.S. kidnapped Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro in an unprecedented military move, and said it would run the country during a transition period.
During a press gaggle aboard Air Force One on Sunday, the president was asked whether he was still planning U.S. military action against Greenland, an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.
“If we don’t take Greenland, Russia or China will,” Trump said. “And I’m not letting that happen.”
When asked if Greenland could “offer” him anything, he said, “Sure, I’d love to make a deal with them, that’s easier. But one way or the other, we’re gonna have Greenland.”
Trump made a similar threat in a March speech to Congress.
On Sunday, he clarified his approach: “Look, we’re talking about acquiring, not leasing, not having it short term. We’re talking about acquiring. And if we don’t do it, Russia or China will. And that’s not going to happen when I’m president.”
He repeated the threat Friday, telling reporters, “We are going to do something in Greenland, whether they like it or not,” and added he would “do it the hard way” if a deal could not be reached.
Denmark and Greenland have consistently rejected the idea, warning that U.S. military action could threaten NATO and emphasizing that Greenland is not for sale.
While some in the Trump administration have hinted that military force remains on the table, others see a more conventional path forward: a compact of free association with Greenland, similar to agreements the U.S. has with Micronesia and other Pacific nations, in which Washington provides financial support in exchange for security access—a potentially cheaper and less confrontational alternative to outright purchase, according to NBC News.
Trump has repeatedly framed Greenland’s acquisition as a matter of national security and deterrence against Russia and China.
“The United States needs Greenland for the purpose of National Security. It is vital for the Golden Dome that we are building. NATO should be leading the way for us to get it. IF WE DON’T, RUSSIA OR CHINA WILL, AND THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Wednesday.
“Militarily, without the vast power of the United States, much of which I built during my first term, and am now bringing to a new and even higher level, NATO would not be an effective force or deterrent—Not even close! They know that, and so do I. NATO becomes far more formidable and effective with Greenland in the hands of the UNITED STATES. Anything less than that is unacceptable. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
But the idea has sparked sharp pushback in Copenhagen and Nuuk, where leaders insist Greenland is not for sale and underscore their sovereignty.
Last week, Greenland’s government and opposition issued a joint statement: “We do not want to be Americans, we do not want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders. The future of Greenland must be decided by the Greenlandic people.”
Trump’s plan is also failing to win over Americans. A Reuters/Ipsos survey of 1,217 adults nationwide on January 12-13 showed that only 17 percent of Americans approve of the US effort to acquire Greenland, while 47 percent disapprove.
Meanwhile, 71 percent disagree that it is a good idea for the US to take Greenland using military force.
Greenland, home to around 56,000 people, mostly near Nuuk, is largely covered by ice but is of strategic and economic importance. Its location makes it vital to U.S. military early-warning systems, and melting ice has opened access to valuable resources, such as rare-earth minerals, drawing growing international interest.
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