Media: Trump offers $1 million per Greenlander in proposed US deal

U.S. President Donald Trump said he had reached “the framework of a future deal” regarding Greenland, signalling a dramatic shift from earlier threats of military action and tariffs against allies resisting the plan, the Daily Mail writes.

Speaking after talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump described the arrangement as “the ultimate long–term deal,” adding, “Infinite. There is no time limit. It’s a deal that’s forever.”

The President said he was considering offering Greenland’s 57,000 residents $1 million each if they voted to join the United States, a move that could cost roughly £42.5 billion. A previous White House proposal suggested offering up to £75,000 per resident.

Trump said he was suspending plans to impose tariffs on Britain and other countries opposing his Greenland proposal. “This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform.

While NATO military officials reportedly discussed a plan for Denmark to cede “small pockets of Greenlandic” territory to the U.S. for military bases, Danish authorities have rejected any transfer of sovereignty. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said, “It’s not going to happen that the U.S. will own Greenland. That’s a red line.”

Jens-Frederik Nielsen, Greenland’s prime minister, also dismissed the idea, saying, “Enough is enough. No more fantasies about annexation.”

The U.S. proposal would require a Greenlandic referendum, with a likely 60% threshold for approval. Analysts note the payment would alter Greenland’s economy and reduce dependence on Danish grants, though critics say adopting a U.S.-style economic system could challenge residents accustomed to extensive social welfare.

The dispute has strained relations with NATO allies and Britain, prompting concerns about the alliance’s cohesion. During a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump criticised European nations, asserting, “Without us, you’d all be speaking German, with maybe a little Japanese.”

Trump also targeted Britain’s Labour Party over the Chagos Islands deal with Mauritius, describing the UK government’s policies on energy and immigration as contributing to “catastrophically high” costs.

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer reaffirmed his opposition to Trump’s Greenland plan. “I will not yield, Britain will not yield on our principles and values about the future of Greenland under threats of tariffs, and that is my clear position,” he said in Parliament.

Despite earlier confusion between Greenland and Iceland, Trump maintained that U.S. control is necessary for strategic security. “All I’m asking for is a piece of ice – cold and very poorly located. It’s a very small ask considering what we’ve given them [NATO] for decades,” he said.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham praised the removal of military action from the proposal but suggested NATO could assist the U.S. in acquiring title to parts of Greenland.

By Aghakazim Guliyev