While some skeptics dismissed it as a pipe dream, President Donald Trump is far from the only one who sees real strategic benefits to pursuing a path toward US control of Greenland.
One official appointed by the president has been making that case for years, and he recently added one new upside to his argument that could get a few seafood-loving critics to reconsider.
As the New York Post reported:
Thomas Dans, the chairman of the US Arctic Research Commission and a Texas financier, made the unusual suggestion in a New Yorker magazine profile that portrayed him as one of the driving forces behind President Trump’s push to expand US influence in Greenland.
ADVERTISEMENT“My view is that the United States could take all the seafood Greenland could produce, and cut out the middleman, and keep it from China — and you could bring back all-you-can-eat shrimp at Red Lobster,” Dans told the New Yorker.
The magazine reported that Dans, accused by Danish authorities of helping run “influence operations” aimed at increasing American sway over the Arctic island, served on a previously undisclosed National Security Council task force focused on Greenland during Trump’s first term.
His argument resonated with a large segment of the population:
Finally, a foreign policy objective the American people can get behind: unlimited shrimp.
— Alorpie (@alorpie) June 22, 2026
Should’ve just said so and this would’ve been fine
— Mark (@novapakt) June 22, 2026
I’m on board. You sold me. Buy Greenland.
— Reid Fletcher (@LxKus) June 22, 2026
Finally rhetoric I can get behind pic.twitter.com/ZfB9ymhKiz
— Yobama (@JodyHighrolr) June 22, 2026
As the The Independent added:
Despite never having set foot in Greenland, Dans insisted that U.S. acquisition of the territory — which would eclipse the Louisiana Purchase in scale — is a no-brainer.
“There’s nothing secret about the contours of the thing — if you study Greenland at all, you quickly arrive at the point that, you know, they’re asset rich and cash poor,” he told The New Yorker. “So, like, this is not a toughie, if you come from an investment-banking or dealmaking background, to solve.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Here’s a clip of Trump earlier this year making the case for control of Greenland:
Join the conversation!
Please share your thoughts about this article below. We value your opinions, and would love to see you add to the discussion!