The President Trump's fascination with acquiring Greenland, a self-governing territory ruled by Denmark, has been an enduring theme throughout his presidency, driven largely by his close friend Ronald Lauder, heir to the global cosmetics brand EstΓ©e Lauder.
In 2018, Lauder, who had known Trump for over 60 years, brought up the idea of the US purchasing Greenland while advising Trump, who was already showing interest in expanding American influence in the Arctic region. Following the proposal, a team at the White House began to explore ways to increase US sway in Greenland.
Lauder's motivation behind pushing this agenda is not entirely clear, but it appears that his business interests are closely aligned with those of the Trump administration. In recent years, Lauder has been expanding his commercial holdings in Greenland and has become part of a consortium seeking to access Ukrainian minerals.
The connection between Lauder's business interests and Trump's policies was exposed after the US journalist Peter Baker reported on the president's fascination with acquiring Greenland for their book "The Divider". Since then, Lauder has become increasingly influential in shaping US policy, particularly when it comes to matters related to Arctic expansion and resource exploitation.
Lauder has defended his involvement in shaping US policy as a way of promoting strategic interests. However, critics have raised questions about potential conflicts of interest and the influence of Lauder's business interests on Trump's decision-making process.
One such instance is Trump's proposed acquisition of Ukraine's lithium deposits, which some argue was driven by Lauder's interest in exploiting these resources for his business. In response to this pushback, Trump has continued to advocate for US control over Ukraine's resources, despite mounting criticism from foreign leaders and politicians.
The relationship between Trump and Lauder has been described as a complex web of personal friendships, mutual interests, and political loyalty. As the Trump administration continues to grapple with questions about its involvement in Arctic expansion and resource exploitation, Lauder's role remains shrouded in controversy.
Trump's fixation on acquiring Greenland has also raised concerns about his imperial ambitions and willingness to use military force to achieve his goals. When asked about the possibility of taking the island by force, Trump responded that "we're going to be doing something with Greenland," either through diplomacy or coercion.
The situation remains fluid, with Denmark's prime minister warning against any form of military action that could break the NATO alliance. Lauder, who has previously condemned far-right figures, has also maintained his close ties with Trump, despite earlier expressing outrage at some of his stances on issues related to Ukraine and Israel.
In a complex landscape marked by loyalty, self-interest, and imperial ambitions, one thing is clear: Ronald Lauder's involvement in shaping US policy is closely tied to his business interests, and this relationship has become increasingly influential in the Trump administration.
In 2018, Lauder, who had known Trump for over 60 years, brought up the idea of the US purchasing Greenland while advising Trump, who was already showing interest in expanding American influence in the Arctic region. Following the proposal, a team at the White House began to explore ways to increase US sway in Greenland.
Lauder's motivation behind pushing this agenda is not entirely clear, but it appears that his business interests are closely aligned with those of the Trump administration. In recent years, Lauder has been expanding his commercial holdings in Greenland and has become part of a consortium seeking to access Ukrainian minerals.
The connection between Lauder's business interests and Trump's policies was exposed after the US journalist Peter Baker reported on the president's fascination with acquiring Greenland for their book "The Divider". Since then, Lauder has become increasingly influential in shaping US policy, particularly when it comes to matters related to Arctic expansion and resource exploitation.
Lauder has defended his involvement in shaping US policy as a way of promoting strategic interests. However, critics have raised questions about potential conflicts of interest and the influence of Lauder's business interests on Trump's decision-making process.
One such instance is Trump's proposed acquisition of Ukraine's lithium deposits, which some argue was driven by Lauder's interest in exploiting these resources for his business. In response to this pushback, Trump has continued to advocate for US control over Ukraine's resources, despite mounting criticism from foreign leaders and politicians.
The relationship between Trump and Lauder has been described as a complex web of personal friendships, mutual interests, and political loyalty. As the Trump administration continues to grapple with questions about its involvement in Arctic expansion and resource exploitation, Lauder's role remains shrouded in controversy.
Trump's fixation on acquiring Greenland has also raised concerns about his imperial ambitions and willingness to use military force to achieve his goals. When asked about the possibility of taking the island by force, Trump responded that "we're going to be doing something with Greenland," either through diplomacy or coercion.
The situation remains fluid, with Denmark's prime minister warning against any form of military action that could break the NATO alliance. Lauder, who has previously condemned far-right figures, has also maintained his close ties with Trump, despite earlier expressing outrage at some of his stances on issues related to Ukraine and Israel.
In a complex landscape marked by loyalty, self-interest, and imperial ambitions, one thing is clear: Ronald Lauder's involvement in shaping US policy is closely tied to his business interests, and this relationship has become increasingly influential in the Trump administration.