SALT LAKE CITY — President Donald Trump has been interested in buying the world’s biggest island, Greenland, for some time now, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Sources told the WSJ that Trump has had interest in purchasing the Danish territory with “varying degrees of seriousness.” Trump has reportedly brought up the idea at several dinners and meetings, while also asking seriously about whether or not to own the Greenland. He has asked White House counsel to consider the matter and research the deal.
Sources told the WSJ that Trump’s aides remain divided on the issue.
Greenland said in a statement that the territory isn’t for sale, according to CNN.
“Greenland is not for sale.”
Local Kulusuk resident Bent Abeelsen told CNN.
“They tried to buy us in 1867, during the Second World War, and now they are trying again,” he said. “Not gonna happen.”
So how does Greenland compare to Utah in size? Well, according to one map application, Greenland is about 9.8 times bigger than Utah. Greenland is 836,326 square miles, while Utah remains 84,898 square miles.
So, yeah, you could fit almost 10 Utahs into Greenland. That’d be one big state if the United States ever tried to buy it.
But it’s unlikely to happen. Henrik O. Breitenbauch, an expert on Greenland, told The New York Times it’s not likely that countries would trade territories and people. In fact, it’s unlikely Denmark and the United States would ever make a deal to sell the country.
“Greenland could choose to become Puerto Rico with snow, but I doubt there’s much interest in that,” he said.