Fact Check: Did Trump-linked oil firm set up drilling operations in Greenland without permission?
WASHINGTON, DC: Months after President Donald Trump’s threat to acquire Greenland, an allegation began circulating on social media platforms claiming that an oil company linked to the president has set up drilling operations in the island country without permission. The claim has triggered outrage and criticism, requiring a fact-check.
Claim: Company linked to Donald Trump set up drilling operations in Greenland
The rumor began circulating earlier this month, claiming that a company linked to Trump had moved into Greenland and started setting up drilling operations without any authorization.
A viral Facebook post stated, “A Texas oil company with ties to Donald Trump just landed a dozen shipping containers of drilling equipment on Greenland's remote eastern coast. They never got permission.”
The post goes on to explain, “Greenland's government issued a 'strong warning' that no approval had been granted. But Greenland Energy, a company set up last year with chairman Larry Swets enjoying access to Trump's inner circle, pushed forward anyway.”
The post ended by stating, “An American company lands equipment on foreign soil without permission, lies about having approval, and the sitting president posts memes threatening to take the whole island. Trump is making the USA a villain in real time."
Fact Check: The claim is half true
Although a firm named Greenland Energy moved the equipment linked to the planned oil project, to which the country’s government issued a warning, the company has not begun any drilling.
It is also unclear to what extent Trump or members of his administration are connected with the company and its activities in Greenland.
Hence, the claim is rated as a mixture of truth, false, and unverified information.
The claim was based on an authentic report about a planned oil exploration project in Jameson Land in eastern Greenland, about which the firm’s representative, Robert Price, said that the company had permission to bring equipment ashore, a claim denied by Greenland's resources ministry.
Donald Trump's interest in acquiring Greenland
Trump had floated the idea of acquiring Greenland since the beginning of this year, drawing backlash and straining his relationship with NATO.
In January, Trump dismissed options such as leases or defense agreements and said that only full US ownership, “right, title and ownership,” would allow them to defend the semi-autonomous island under Denmark.
“You can’t defend it on a lease,” he said. “Legally, it’s not defensible that way. And psychologically, who wants to defend a license agreement?”
