President Donald Trump’s interest in Greenland traces back to a private conversation with billionaire businessman Ronald Lauder, The Guardian reports, citing former Trump administration officials.
John Bolton, who served as national security adviser during Trump’s first term, said Trump summoned him to the Oval Office after hearing from “a prominent businessman” who believed the United States should consider purchasing Greenland, the vast Arctic territory controlled by Denmark.
That businessman, Bolton later learned, was Lauder — heir to the Estée Lauder cosmetics fortune and a longtime friend of Trump dating back more than 60 years. The two men met as young New Yorkers and have remained in contact for decades.
Following the discussion, the White House directed staff to explore ways the U.S. could strengthen its strategic position in Greenland, a region of growing importance due to its location, resources, and emerging Arctic shipping routes.
Trump’s renewed focus on Greenland during his second term reflects his leadership style, Bolton said, noting that the president often places significant weight on ideas raised by trusted advisers and friends.
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A Strategic Case for Greenland
Lauder has publicly defended Trump’s interest in Greenland, arguing it was never a novelty idea but a strategic one. Lauder has said Greenland sits at “the epicenter of great-power competition” and holds vast reserves of rare-earth minerals essential to modern technology, artificial intelligence, and advanced weapons systems.
As Arctic ice recedes, Lauder noted, new maritime routes are opening, increasing Greenland’s economic and security value.
Lauder has worked closely for years with Greenlandic business and government leaders to develop strategic investments there.
Importantly, Estée Lauder Companies has no known business operations or corporate interest in Greenland. Any involvement is understood to be Ronald Lauder’s personal activity as a billionaire investor, not an extension of the cosmetics brand.
For investors with long time horizons, these assets are seen as increasingly valuable as Western nations seek to reduce reliance on China for critical materials.
Danish corporate records show that companies linked to U.S.-based investors have recently taken stakes in Greenland ventures, including projects tied to bottled water exports and potential hydroelectric power generation. Media reports in Denmark have identified Lauder among those involved.
'Incredible Insight & Intelligence'
Lauder donated $100,000 to Trump’s 2016 campaign effort and has repeatedly defended the president publicly. In 2018, amid political criticism of Trump, Lauder called him “a man of incredible insight and intelligence.”
That same year, Lauder said he was assisting Trump with “some of the most complex diplomatic challenges imaginable.”
While Trump’s comments about Greenland — including suggestions that the U.S. could pursue it through negotiation or other means — have drawn criticism abroad, supporters argue the president is highlighting real strategic concerns tied to national security, minerals, and Arctic defense.
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