Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, Jan 14: US President Donald Trump’s long-standing desire to annex Greenland may move forward rapidly, with “meaningful” American action possible within weeks or months, according to a senior official in the Trump administration.
Thomas Dans, Trump’s Arctic commissioner and a key advocate of the Greenland push, said negotiations or concrete steps could accelerate quickly, though the overall process would take time to complete. Speaking in an interview, Dans described the plan as a fast-moving initiative driven directly by Trump.
“This is a train route with multiple stops,” Dans said. “Things could move on an express basis, skip the local stops and go direct to the main station. That’s where President Trump wants to move it – at high speed.”
Greenland, a mineral-rich Arctic island with a population of around 57,000, is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. While polls show most Greenlanders favour eventual independence from Denmark, there is strong opposition to becoming a US state. Both Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly stated that the island is not for sale.
Dans acknowledged that winning the trust and support of Greenland’s people would be a key challenge. “We need to get the people of Greenland on board,” he said, adding that while deals could move quickly from a transactional standpoint, building local support would require sustained effort.
The remarks come ahead of a high-level meeting at the White House on January 14, where US Vice President JD Vance is set to meet senior Danish and Greenlandic officials. The meeting was sought by Denmark amid Trump’s increasingly forceful rhetoric that the United States must “have” Greenland. Originally expected to involve Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the talks will now be led by Vance, who is seen as close to Trump.
Vance has previously warned European leaders to take Greenland’s security more seriously. “If they’re not, the United States is going to have to do something about it,” he said earlier this month.
Trump has argued that Greenland is strategically vital to prevent Russia or China from expanding their influence in the Arctic. While he has not ruled out the use of military force, Dans dismissed fears of invasion as exaggerated, claiming the US already dominates the island’s security environment through its existing military presence.
Among the options reportedly discussed within Trump’s circle are an outright purchase, diplomatic control arrangements, or financial incentives aimed at encouraging Greenlanders to push for independence from Denmark. One proposal involves offering lump-sum payments of between $10,000 and $100,000 per person, potentially followed by a Compact of Free Association that would place Greenland under US security protection.
Another idea under consideration is a long-term lease arrangement similar to Britain’s former 99-year lease of Hong Kong from China. However, Trump has publicly criticised this option, insisting that ownership — not leasing — is necessary for effective defence.
“I would like to make a deal the easy way,” Trump said recently, “but if we don’t do it the easy way, we’re going to do it the hard way.”
While the path ahead remains uncertain, Dans’ comments suggest that Greenland’s status could soon become a central issue in US foreign and Arctic policy.