US assessing cost of maintaining Greenland if acquired – The Washington Post
Photo: The US is already evaluating the retention of Greenland (Getty Images)
The White House is preparing an assessment of how much it would cost the federal government to maintain Greenland if the US takes control of the island, The Washington Post reports.
President Donald Trump’s desire to purchase Greenland appears to be taking a more concrete shape, despite international outrage and opposition from Greenlanders themselves. White House officials have recently begun analyzing the financial implications of Greenland's possible accession to the United States, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
Additionally, officials are assessing the costs of providing public services to the island’s 58,000 residents, as well as the potential revenues from its natural resources.
“There is a discussion about what would be the cost-benefit to the United States of America if we were to acquire Greenland. What would it cost us to maintain Greenland as a United States territory? If we acquire it, then what does it cost us to take care of these people as part of our Arctic umbrella?” a source within the administration said.
The White House budget office is also exploring the possibility of offering Greenland’s government a more favorable deal than the current annual subsidies from Denmark, which amount to approximately $600 million.
"This is a lot higher than that. The point is, we’ll pay you more than Denmark does," one of the officials said.
US annexation of Greenland
Former President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that the US should acquire Greenland. According to sources cited by The Washington Post, among the potential territories he considered, including Canada and the Panama Canal, Trump reportedly sees Greenland as the easiest option.
However, White House officials say that Greenland is not currently a top national security priority. The issue may only be considered after addressing other key objectives, such as ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, achieving peace between Israel and Gaza, and containing Iran - major agenda items for this year.
Recently, Trump expressed confidence that the US would eventually take control of Greenland, saying he was 100% sure it would happen. He also hinted that the US might attempt to establish control over the island even through military means.
However, Greenland, which is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark, has firmly opposed joining the United States. The island’s new Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, stated that despite Trump’s ambitions, the US would not be able to acquire Greenland.
