Donald Trump would be unable to force Greenland to change ownership, a former senior adviser to the US president has said, amid renewed debate over the strategic importance of the Arctic territory.
Gary Cohn, IBM’s vice chairman and a former director of the White House National Economic Council during Trump’s first term, told the BBC that “Greenland will stay Greenland,” adding that there is broad political consensus in Washington against any attempt to seize control of the island. He linked Trump’s recent comments to US interest in securing access to critical minerals rather than to a genuine push for ownership.
Separately, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sought to play down concerns over potential trade measures linked to Greenland, urging people to “relax” and “let things play out.” Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Bessent compared the reaction to Trump’s latest remarks with the response to tariff threats made last year, arguing that the current situation was being misunderstood.
Denmark warns Trump they have ‘red lines that can’t be crossed’ over Greenland
Cohn, one of the most prominent figures in the US technology sector and a key player in artificial intelligence and quantum computing, said business leaders were taking the issue seriously. He warned that “invading an independent country that is part of Nato” would be “over the edge,” underscoring the limits of what the US could realistically pursue.
He added that Trump’s statements about Greenland may be part of a broader negotiating strategy. “I just came from a US congressional delegation meeting, and I think there’s pretty uniform consensus with both Republicans and Democrats that Greenland will stay Greenland,” Cohn said.
According to Cohn, Greenland would likely welcome an increased US military presence, particularly as security concerns grow in the North Atlantic and Arctic regions. He also suggested Washington could seek an “offtake” agreement to secure access to Greenland’s large but largely undeveloped reserves of rare earth minerals.
Cohn said Trump had a history of overstating demands to strengthen his negotiating position. “He has overreached in advertising something to end up getting what he actually wants,” he said. “Maybe what he actually wants is a larger military presence and an offtake.”
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