The idea of a possible purchase of Greenland by the United States came to US President Donald Trump after a proposal from Ronald Lauder, heir to the cosmetics company Estée Lauder, former national security adviser John Bolton told The Guardian.
According to him, at the beginning of his first term, Trump announced that a prominent businessman had suggested that the purchase of Greenland be considered.
„He said that a prominent businessman had just suggested that the United States buy Greenland“, Bolton said, specifying that Lauder, a longtime acquaintance of Trump, was meant.
After that, according to the former adviser, the White House began discussing options for increasing US influence in the Arctic, including Danish territories. In 2019, interest in Greenland became public, which caused a sharp reaction from the Danish authorities.
The publication notes that Lauder's interest coincides with his business projects on the island. According to The Guardian, American investors, including Lauder, have invested in projects for the export of drinking water and the development of hydroelectric power.