The notion of acquiring Greenland first reached the Oval Office during Trump’s first term, when he summoned his national security adviser to discuss a proposal relayed by a friend.

John Bolton, who served in the role in 2018, recalled the moment, saying, “Trump called me down to the Oval Office. He said a prominent businessman had just suggested the U.S. buy Greenland.”

Bolton later learned that the businessman in question was Ronald Lauder. After discussions with Lauder, a White House team began exploring ways to increase American influence in the Danish-controlled Arctic territory.

Bolton described the episode as emblematic of Trump’s governing style, stating, “Bits of information that he hears from friends, he takes them as truth, and you can’t shake his opinion.”

Trump’s interest in acquiring Greenland became public in 2019, causing outrage in Denmark. In response, Trump tweeted a doctored image of a golden Trump Tower towering over a Greenlandic village with the caption: “I promise not to do this to Greenland!”