Donald Trump's Interest In Buying Greenland Was Legit, Book Says. Idea Came From Cosmetics Heir.
Sept. 15 2022, Published 3:01 p.m. ET
Former President Donald Trump’s interest in buying Greenland was real and inspired by a friend, Radar has learned.
As detailed in the new book, “The Divider,” Trump's extensively covered 2019 interest in acquiring Greenland provides some juicy new details.
Chief among them is that Trump reportedly at one point offered a straight-up exchange of Puerto Rico for the northern island territory.
"He suggested taking federal money from Puerto Rico, which he disparaged, and using it to buy Greenland,” the booked noted. “On another occasion, he suggested outright trading Puerto Rico for Greenland."
Another more familiar revelation is that what Trump said publicly was apparently not quite in line with the truth.
While the former president claimed the idea to acquire Greenland was his idea, based on looking at maps, the book says it was actually the brainchild of Estée Lauder cosmetics heir Ronald Lauder.
“He discussed it with Trump from the early days of the presidency and offered himself as a back channel to the Danish government to negotiate," the book purports.
At the time, officials for Greenland quickly declared that the island was most definitely not for sale. Nevertheless, Trump's interest was enough, according to the book, to move former National Security Advisor John Bolton to have aide Fiona Hill put together a team to brainstorm ideas.
“They engaged in secret talks with Denmark's ambassador and produced an options memo," the book stated, according to the New York Times.
The details about Trump’s interest in Greenland are some of the newest revelations revealed this week from upcoming books about his time in the White House. RadarOnline.com previously reported that a new book details Trump’s refusal to leave the White House in the days after he lost the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden.