How a Billionaire With Interests in Greenland Encouraged Trump to Eye the Island

As the United States finds itself in a diplomatic standoff with Denmark over Greenland’s future, one intriguing piece of context has emerged: billionaire Ronald Lauder, a longtime associate of Donald Trump, is widely credited with encouraging the idea that the U.S. should pursue greater influence or even acquisition of Greenland — and he has since developed his own business interests on the island.

This development has raised eyebrows because it ties geopolitical ambition with private commercial interests, illustrating how personal networks and economic motives can intersect with high-level policy discussions.

A Pitch That Became Policy Talk

Ronald Lauder — heir to the Estée Lauder cosmetics fortune and a wealthy New York businessman — first suggested that the United States should consider acquiring Greenland during Donald Trump’s first term. According to former Trump national security adviser John Bolton, Lauder’s idea sparked Trump’s interest in the territory and led to official conversations about Greenland at the White House.

The notion initially sounded unusual to many observers: the U.S. exploring a potential purchase or control of an autonomous region of the Kingdom of Denmark. But because it came from a billionaire donor and ally, it gained traction — at least inside Trump’s inner circle.

From Suggestion to Strategic Narrative

Lauder didn’t simply float the idea once and leave it at that. Over time, he portrayed Greenland’s potential value in strategic and economic terms, arguing in op-eds that the island’s rare-earth minerals and Arctic positioning made it critical to global competition, especially amid rising Russian and Chinese activity.

This narrative — one that melded geopolitics with resource interests — closely echoed the arguments later emphasized by Trump himself when he renewed his public push for Greenland during his second presidency.

Business Stakes on the Ground

Since Lauder helped stir Trump’s curiosity about Greenland, he has made private investments connected to the island. Media reports indicate that companies linked to Lauder are involved in ventures such as:

• Exporting premium Greenlandic spring water;
• Developing hydroelectric power projects for industrial use.

These moves show that Lauder has positioned himself not just as an advocate for U.S. involvement in Greenland, but also as a business stakeholder in the territory’s economic prospects.

A Broader Pattern of Influence?

Lauder’s influence isn’t limited to Greenland. He has also been connected to a consortium that won development rights to significant lithium reserves in Ukraine — another move blending private business interests with geopolitical resonance.

Such overlaps have prompted critics to raise questions about conflicts of interest when personal business ties align with national policy debates — particularly when those debates involve territory, natural resources, and strategic competition.

Global Pushback and Local Rejection

Despite the high-level enthusiasm in some U.S. circles, Greenland’s leaders have repeatedly rejected any suggestion of sale or control by another country, emphasizing self-determination and opposition to external takeover threats. Denmark and NATO allies have echoed this, warning that unilateral moves would violate sovereignty and international law.

Why This Matters

The story of Ronald Lauder’s role offers insight into how private influence and national policy can sometimes intertwine — especially when strategic interests and economic opportunities collide.

Whether it shapes actual policy outcomes remains far from certain. But the episode underscores how individual actors with wealth and access can help steer discussions on the world stage, especially in Washington’s corridors of power.

This article is based on reporting and analysis from multiple news sources and does not represent an endorsement of any political position.