In a move that redefines unconventional diplomacy, former US President Donald Trump is reportedly weighing a direct cash incentive scheme targeting Greenland's citizens as part of a concerted effort to acquire the strategic Arctic territory.
The Cash-for-Control Proposal
According to sources familiar with internal White House discussions, relayed to Reuters, officials under Trump's administration actively debated making substantial payments to individual Greenlanders. The aim was to sway local opinion in favour of US control of the island, which remains an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.
The proposed sums were far from trivial. The range of options on the table spanned from $10,000 to an astonishing $100,000 per person. With Greenland's population estimated at approximately 57,000, the total potential cost of such a programme could have reached into the billions of dollars.
Strategic Ambitions in the Arctic
This financial proposition underscores the depth of the Trump administration's interest in Greenland, driven largely by the island's immense geopolitical and military significance in an increasingly contested Arctic region. Its location offers vital access to new shipping routes and untapped natural resources.
The plan to essentially bribe the populace represents an extraordinary and ethically fraught approach to international territorial acquisition, bypassing traditional state-to-state negotiations with Denmark.
Public Sentiment and Future Implications
Despite the former president's clear ambitions, which he previously signalled could follow actions in Venezuela, American public support for military intervention or regime change in Greenland was reportedly tepid. The revelation of a cash payment strategy, however, introduces a new dimension to the saga.
This development raises profound questions about the future of Arctic sovereignty and the lengths to which major powers might go to secure influence. It also places the residents of Greenland at the centre of a high-stakes international power play, with their homeland viewed as a prize to be won.
The story, based on insider accounts, is still developing, and further details are anticipated.
