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For the past seven years, President Donald Trump has pushed the idea of annexing Greenland, which Denmark has dismissed as “absurd (1).” But while there has been plenty of talk about the strategic importance of the territory, which is an autonomous and self-governed part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and its natural resources, new reporting reveals another reason the U.S. wanted it. And it has to do with a struggling restaurant chain.
The New Yorker has (2)published (2) a detailed account of the argument to take over Denmark. For Tom Dans (3), a Trump appointee to the United States Arctic Research Commission (USARC), gaining control of the country was seen as a way to possibly bring about the return of a beloved (and expensive) promotion: Red Lobster’s Endless Shrimp.
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“When I met [Dans] for lunch in Washington, earlier this year, he declined to speak further on the record, except to articulate a narrow, symbiotic vision for the future: ‘My view is that the United States could take all the seafood Greenland could produce, and cut out the middleman, and keep it from China — and you could bring back all-you-can-eat shrimp at Red Lobster,’” The New Yorker’s Ben Taub wrote.
Trump appointed Dans as director of USARC in December. The article also alleges he was running a private “influence operation” in Greenland, and was a key part of the reason Greenland has become a fixation for Trump in his second term.
“You have to get meetings with people, you have to coach an idea, and you have to work it and sell it and help people understand why it makes sense,” Dans is quoted as saying. “Ultimately, it has to become their idea, not yours. There’s no end to what you can accomplish in D.C. if you are willing to give other people the credit.”
Greenland was back burnered during Iran conflict
Trump’s obsession with Greenland has faded from the headlines in recent months, as the U.S. has launched military actions in Iran, then attempted to negotiate a peace deal. But the territory remains on guard.
Greenland residents have been watching, worried, as the Trump administration carries out killings (4) in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean against what it claims are drug-smuggling vessels. Then there was the raid in Venezuela, which resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. Trump has also talked about a possible invasion of Cuba. When (5)asked by Axios (5) if that could follow a path similar to actions in Venezuela, Trump said, “Possibly. It’s possible.”
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The life and death of Endless Shrimp — and what it has to do with Greenland
Whether Dans’s comments were tongue-in-cheek or serious, they may not have taken the Endless Shrimp promotion’s impact on Red Lobster into account.
Endless Shrimp was first introduced 21 years ago and was a fan favorite. In the third quarter of 2023, however, the company (6)reported an $11-million operating loss (6), blaming the promotion, in part, for the shortfall.
That summer, Red Lobster had started offering the deal during all opening hours instead of just on Mondays (6). People responded — vigorously. And that was doubly true of (7)social media influencers (7).
“The proportion of the people selecting this promotion was much higher compared to expectation,” Ludovic Garnier, chief financial officer of Thai Union Group (which owns a stake in (8)Red Lobster (8)), told investors on a call in November (6).
The restaurant (9)brought back (9) Endless Shrimp without Greenland earlier this year, though with a few more limitations than last time.
Incidentally, Red Lobster says it does not source (10) shrimp from Greenland or anywhere close to it. It says its shrimp come from Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, India, China, Ecuador and Guatemala.
Article Sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines.
Euronews (1); The New Yorker (2); High North News (3); New York Times (4), (6); Axios (5); YouTube (7); Fast Company (8); Red Lobster (9), (10)
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
