The United States could be required to pay as much as $700 billion to achieve President Donald Trump’s ambition of acquiring Greenland, according to three individuals familiar with internal cost estimates.
The figure was developed by policy scholars and former U.S. officials during strategic planning discussions surrounding Trump’s proposal to purchase the 800,000-square-mile Arctic island as a national security buffer against geopolitical rivals. The estimated price tag exceeds half of the U.S. Defense Department’s annual budget and has raised concern across Europe and within Congress, particularly as Trump has intensified rhetoric about obtaining Greenland following the recent U.S. military operation that captured Venezuela’s president and his wife.
Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, has firmly rejected the notion of being acquired. Officials from both Denmark and Greenland have dismissed Trump’s assertion that the U.S. will gain control of the island “one way or the other.” However, a senior White House official said Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been instructed to draft a proposal in the coming weeks outlining potential terms for a purchase, describing the initiative as a “high priority” for the president.
Rubio and Vice President JD Vance are scheduled to meet with Danish and Greenlandic officials in Washington this week, following preliminary discussions between their representatives and the White House National Security Council. The delegations traveled to seek clarity on the administration’s intentions.
“I’d love to make a deal with them,” Trump told reporters Sunday when asked if Greenland could present an offer. “It’s easier. But one way or the other, we’re going to have Greenland.”
Greenland’s Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt reiterated her government’s position upon arrival in Washington.
“Greenland does not want to be owned by, governed by, or become part of the United States,” Motzfeldt said. “We choose the Greenland we know today — as part of the Kingdom of Denmark.”
Naaja Nathanielsen, Greenland’s minister for business and mineral resources, said the ongoing U.S. statements have caused deep anxiety among Greenlanders.
“This is dominating household conversations. People are feeling enormous pressure,” she said. “But we have no intention of becoming American.”
A U.S. official familiar with defense arrangements noted that existing agreements already allow Washington to expand military and security operations in Greenland without changing sovereignty.
“Why invade the cow when they’ll sell you the milk at good prices?” the official remarked.
While some administration figures have suggested military force remains an option, other senior officials and White House allies view economic or diplomatic arrangements as more realistic. One alternative under consideration is a compact-style partnership in which the U.S. would provide financial support in exchange for enhanced security access — a model similar to existing agreements with Pacific island nations. Such a framework could fulfill Trump’s broader vision of expanding American strategic influence in the Western Hemisphere at a significantly lower cost than outright purchase.
Trump has argued that ownership would grant the U.S. greater control over Arctic territory and resources, likening it to owning property rather than leasing it. If acquired, Greenland could become a U.S. territory similar to Guam or Puerto Rico, cementing long-term American strategic presence in the region.
For now, Denmark and Greenland remain unified in rejecting any proposal that compromises Greenland’s sovereignty — setting the stage for a diplomatic confrontation with global implications.
