Dr. Phil, American TV psychologist, weighs in on the Greenland debate

Donald Trump’s interest in Greenland has certainly not waned. Behind the scenes, a U.S. operation is gaining momentum to enable the United States to strengthen its hold on this Arctic island. The U.S. strategy is remarkable: Finnish icebreakers, a Texas-based oil company with ties to Trump’s inner circle, and none other than TV psychologist Dr. Phil as a media figure are all set to convince Greenland to rally to their cause.

The heart of the matter lies on Greenland’s east coast, in the Jameson Land region. The Texas-based company Greenland Energy, founded just last year, claims to suspect the presence of billions of barrels of crude oil there and has announced a $60 million investment to drill two exploratory wells. According to its own statements, the company has already shipped 300 containers of drilling equipment. This is what El Diario reports.

"No permit has been issued"

The government in Nuuk, however, is sounding the alarm. The Ministry of Resources stated that “no valid permit exists” for exploration or preparatory work and issued a “stern warning.” The authorities emphasize that no company has received authorization to unload equipment. Greenland Energy does not deny this and says it's preparing; the first wells are expected to be drilled in October.

The ties to Washington are far from subtle. Greenland Energy is backed by Kenneth Griffin, a Donald Trump donor (who holds a 9% stake), and counts among its shareholders Larry Swets, the majority shareholder and chairman, an ally from Trump’s inner circle. To rally public support, the company enlisted Dr. Phil McGraw, a former talk show host and member of Trump’s Commission on Religious Freedom, to produce a documentary on “modern prospectors”—those conducting exploratory drilling.

The logistics rely in part on Finnish icebreakers, which are essential in Arctic waters for safely transporting heavy equipment to the East Coast. The timing of this initiative is, in fact, no coincidence. In recent months, Trump has repeatedly stated that Greenland is “crucial to national security” and has previously alluded to a “Golden Dome” missile defense system intended to protect the island. This is according to CNN.

Critics have called this move “imperialist drilling” and warn that the United States is putting pressure on Greenland’s sovereignty. The Danish autonomous region has repeatedly stated that it does not want to be sold. For Trump, it’s about strategic locations and essential minerals, as well as oil and gas, according to Reuters.