Nearly five years ago, Russia reportedly floated the idea of the United States acquiring Greenland through a forged fundraising letter sent to Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton, according to Danish intelligence sources.
Why It Matters This revelation resurfaced recently on social media, just days before Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20. Over the past few weeks, Trump has reignited his interest in the U.S. acquiring Greenland, a semi-autonomous island part of Denmark, and home to a U.S. Space Force base.
What To Know In October 2019, Danish intelligence accused Russia of forging a letter from Greenland’s foreign minister to Cotton. The letter, allegedly sent by Greenland’s foreign minister, requested funding for a referendum on the island’s independence from Denmark.
In 2022, the Danish Security and Intelligence Service concluded that the letter was fabricated, with Russia likely behind the operation. Danish intelligence assessed that Moscow's goal was to sow discord among Denmark, the U.S., and Greenland. Russia denied the allegations through an email to Reuters.
Senator Cotton himself acknowledged in August 2019 that he had raised the idea of the U.S. acquiring Greenland with Trump.
On January 7, Trump reiterated the need for Greenland as a strategic asset for U.S. national security, citing the island's rich natural resources and strategic location in the Arctic Circle, home to about 56,000 people.
What People Are Saying The Danish Security and Intelligence Service, in its January 2022 report, stated, "It is highly likely that the letter was fabricated and shared online by Russian influence agents to create confusion and potential conflict between Denmark, the USA, and Greenland."
In August 2019, Senator Cotton told CNN: “In recent years, China has tried to secure a strategic presence in Greenland through offers to buy a former U.S. military base and funding for airport construction. Acquiring Greenland would prevent both China and Russia from gaining control. It is rich in untapped natural resources and vital to U.S. national security.”
Writer Dean Gloster commented on X (formerly Twitter) in response: “Reminder: The 'plan' to buy Greenland was concocted by Putin's GRU during Trump’s first term to divide NATO and normalize taking land without its citizens’ consent. They faked a letter to Sen. Tom Cotton to set it in motion.”
Greenland’s Prime Minister, Mute Egede, stated in December, "Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must protect our long struggle for freedom."
What Happens Next Trump is expected to continue raising the issue of Greenland's annexation should he return to the White House. Earlier in January, he suggested that he might not rule out military action to take control of the island. However, given Greenland’s status as part of Denmark, a NATO member, such actions could trigger Article 4 of NATO’s founding treaty, which can be invoked when a member state’s territorial integrity or security is threatened.
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