U.S. officials are discussing a plan to bring Greenland into the American sphere of influence, using a type of agreement that the United States has used to maintain close ties with many Pacific island nations, Reuters reported, citing two U.S. officials and another person familiar with the discussions.
Under the plan, the Trump administration would propose to Greenland’s leaders that the island sign a so-called Compact of Free Association, or COFA, with the United States.
While the exact details of COFA agreements – which have only extended to the small island nations of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau – vary depending on the signatory, the US government typically provides many essential services, from mail delivery to emergency management and military protection.
n return, the U.S. military operates in COFA countries and trade with the U.S. is largely duty-free.
President Donald Trump, who floated the idea of acquiring Greenland during his first term, has increased the pressure since taking office in January, refusing to rule out taking the island by force. Denmark, which governs the island, has strongly rejected the idea.
A COFA deal would of course fall short of Trump’s ambition to make the island of 57,000 a part of the U.S. But it is not the only plan for Greenland on the table, the sources said, and it would face many practical hurdles.
Some officials from the National Security Council and the National Energy Sovereignty Council, which Trump established, are involved in the talks, two of the sources said.
The National Economic Council is also involved, one of the sources added.
COFA agreements have been signed with independent countries in the past, and Greenland would likely have to secede from Denmark for such a plan to proceed. While polls show Greenlanders are interested in independence, surveys also show that most do not want to be part of the United States.
A COFA — which grants significant autonomy to Washington — could be met with similar skepticism.
