Trump floats payments to Greenlanders in controversial acquisition plan
The administration of President Donald Trump is considering offering every citizen of Greenland a cheque for $10,000 (approximately £7,644) annually as part of a plan to assume control of this Danish island, to which it attributes great strategic importance, reported the newspaper "The New York Times".
Officials in the Republican administration believe that the cost of this initiative could be offset by revenue from the extraction of natural resources found in the region, including rare earth metals, copper, gold, uranium, and oil.
According to the Spanish agency EFE, the United States is prepared to pursue this approach to annexing the Arctic island due to its strategic importance. They intend to engage its inhabitants, who they claim are "practically abandoned by Denmark".
The newspaper "New York Times" suggests that the American government is considering replacing the $600 million subsidies (approx. £459 million) that Denmark currently provides to Greenland with an annual payment of $10,000 (approx. £7,644) to each of its residents.
Greenland is currently the world's largest non-continental island.
Until 1953, it was a Danish colony, and since then, it has transitioned to a Danish autonomous territory. It has a population of 56,000, concentrated on 20 percent of the land not covered by ice and snow.
- We need Greenland, very importantly, for international security, - said US Vice President J.D. Vance, who visited in March.
President Trump stated during his speech in Congress that they are all working together to achieve this goal. In response, the Greenland authorities made it clear that the island is not for sale and has no intention of joining the United States.
