Experts and former administration officials have raised concerns about the potential costs involved if the United States were to acquire Greenland, suggesting that the financial burden could far exceed any potential benefits.
The ongoing efforts by the Trump administration to purchase the vast, ice-covered island continue, despite meetings between Danish and Greenland officials and Vice President JD Vance, where they emphasized Greenland’s sovereignty and independence from U.S. interests.
Despite these diplomatic discussions, both parties remain at an impasse regarding Greenland’s future. The island, which has been under Danish control for more than three centuries, is home to just 56,000 citizens.
In response to perceived threats from their NATO ally, European nations have started sending small military units to the Arctic, prompting President Trump to declare that their actions won’t deter him and that he intends to acquire Greenland “one way or the other.”
The administration has argued that acquiring Greenland is essential for “national security” due to Russia’s activities in the Arctic Circle. However, NBC News recently reported on the substantial financial implications of such a move.
According to their analysis, annexing Greenland could cost up to $700 billion, based on hypothetical models presented to the White House. This figure surpasses half of the Department of Defense’s annual budget.
“Greenland does not want to be owned by, governed by or part of the United States,” stated Vivian Motzfeldt, Greenland’s foreign minister, upon arriving in Washington for unsuccessful negotiations where both sides ultimately “agreed to disagree.”
“We choose the Greenland we know today — as part of the Kingdom of Denmark.”
Nonetheless, some officials argue that Greenland is crucial for America’s future strategic interests, as climate change has made the Arctic region, and Greenland in particular, more accessible to Russian activities.
President Trump, aiming to reposition America’s global influence, has prioritized acquiring Greenland, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasizing its importance for a potential second term.
However, an anonymous U.S. official speaking to NBC questioned the necessity of acquiring Greenland by force, given the existing agreements that permit the U.S. to expand its military presence on the island since the Cold War.
Currently, the U.S. maintains one large base, Pituffik Space Base (formerly Thule Air Base), in Greenland’s northwest, which is integral to North America’s missile early warning system.
With American forces already present and agreements allowing for military expansion, the official wondered, “Why invade the cow when they’ll sell you the milk at relatively good prices?”