Exclusive: Trump administration mulls payments to sway Greenlanders to join US

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Reuters

January 8, 2026 3:10 PM EST Updated 1 hour ago


Jan 8 (Reuters) - U.S. officials have discussed sending lump sum payments to Greenlanders as part of a bid to convince them to secede from Denmark and potentially join the United States, according to four sources familiar with the matter.

While the exact dollar figure and logistics of any payment are unclear, U.S. officials, including White House aides, have discussed figures ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 per person, said two of the sources, who requested anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

The idea of directly paying residents of Greenland, an overseas territory of Denmark, offers one explanation of how the U.S. might attempt to "buy" the island of 57,000 people, despite authorities' insistence in Copenhagen and Nuuk that Greenland is not for sale.

The tactic is among various plans being discussed by the White House for acquiring Greenland, including potential use of the U.S. military. But it risks coming off as overly transactional and even degrading to a population that has long debated its own independence and its economic dependence on Denmark.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/trump-administration-mulls-payments-sway-greenlanders-join-us-2026-01-08/

[RockCreek]

1. How long would that $ last when faced with US healthcare costs???

[SSJVegeta]

2. Lol imagine being offered 100k to give up millions of dollars worth in free healthcare

...and thats the BEST case scenario!

[Miguelito Loveless]

3. Everyone has a price

That doesn't shock me. What shocks me is how low the price is.

[LiberalLovinLug]

11. Its scarey to think that, but its true.

Heck, even if each of the citizens were offered 1 million US dollars, it would "only" cost $57 billion I believe. He gave Argentina $40 billion just like that for nothing. To acquire Greenland, for that amount, is well worth it.

If that happened greed would definately set in, and for a cool mill, I can see the majority going for it. Trump admin may even help back a legal challenge to help Greenlanders declare independence from Denmark to give them authority. If that's not possible in international law, Trump will just declare the courts corrupt and the people of Greenland can democratically decide for themselves.

[Miguelito Loveless]

12. Yes, and you make an excellent unintended point

How many people today remember that Child Rapist Trump gave Argentina $40 billion we didn’t have and US farmers only $12 billion we didn’t have?

[cstanleytech]

4. I'd hold out for 10 million and not having to ever pay any income tax personally 😂

[AverageOldGuy]

5. The entire population should take the money, cash the check . . .

. . . then line up along the Southwestern coast facing toward the US and moon Trump.

[bucolic_frolic]

6. Cuellar Trump on this one

[RexLipton]

7. Just tell trump

that all of the Greenlanders are liberal democrats who can't wait to vote!

[jls4561]

8. Greelanders should take the cash and vote against any annexation by the US.

It’s what Fat Donnie would do.

[Alice B.]

9. Ask your MAGA-loving neighbor if that's his DOGE check, winging its way to Greenland.

[PortTack]

10. Greenlanders are smarter than that. questions?? ask veterans, farmers and others still waiting for their payout

[thought crime]

13. No rational person would give up Danish citizenship for $100K

Some might sell their souls for $2-4 million and retaining full Danish citizenship. But I doubt it.

[Intractable]

14. You can be the next Puerto Rico!

Without the beaches, of course.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

15. This should play well with his base.

Some MAGA loser in the middle of nowhere is still waiting for his DOGE check, meanwhile, someone in a country he couldn't find on a map is getting 10s of thousands of dollars.