Overview
- In 1917, the United States bought the Danish West Indies for $25 million, a transfer that included numerous islets and recognition of Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland.
- Little Saint James, part of the U.S. Virgin Islands, was purchased privately by Jeffrey Epstein in 1998 and remains tied to ongoing investigations and calls for transparency.
- Trump has renewed a bid to acquire Greenland and announced a 10% tariff on goods from Denmark and other NATO countries starting February 1, threatening to lift it to 25% without a “complete and total purchase.”
- European leaders have defended Danish sovereignty over Greenland, and many U.S. lawmakers and polling show opposition to an outright purchase.
- Social media users and TV commentators are drawing connections between the 1917 sale and Epstein’s island, as reporting highlights Greenland’s Arctic military value and critical mineral resources.