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One day during his first term, Donald Trump summoned a top aide to discuss a new idea. “Trump called me down to the Oval Office,” John Bolton, national security adviser in 2018, told the Guardian. “He said a prominent businessman had just suggested the US buy Greenland.”

It was an extraordinary proposal. And it originated from a longtime friend of the president who would go on to acquire business interests in the Danish territory.

The businessman, Bolton learned, was Ronald Lauder. Heir to a makeup fortune – the global cosmetics brand Estée Lauder – he had known Trump, a fellow wealthy New Yorker, for more than 60 years.

Bolton said he discussed the Greenland proposition with Lauder. After the billionaire’s intervention, a White House team began to explore ways to increase US sway in the vast Arctic territory controlled by Denmark.

Trump’s renewed pursuit of Lauder’s idea during his second term is typical of how the president operates, Bolton said. “Bits of information that he hears from friends, he takes them as truth and you can’t shake his opinion.”

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[-] radio@sh.itjust.works 79 points 1 month ago

I knew someone planted the seed in his head to invade. Trump is too dumb and vacuous to have curiosity about somewhere as random as Greenland. A couple mega wealthy nepo babies bonding over their rapacious greed. How cute!

[-] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 17 points 1 month ago

He's also the kind of Dump Ape that is so avaricious that he looks at a map, and says "That's big, I want it." And I have heard multiple reports that is pretty much how it happened. Everything else is just rationalization. Also, Bolton is as much a scumbag as Trump.

Also Ghengis Don doesn't know what a Mercator Projection is, and if he'd heard of it, he wouldn't understand it. But, for reals, he's never heard of it.

[-] sparky@lemmy.federate.cc 4 points 1 month ago

He’s using the murica-tor projection.

[-] slothrop@lemmy.ca 68 points 1 month ago

Lauder: You don't have a micropenis. Can you invade Greenland?

The Rapist: Say it once more and Greenscape is yours.

[-] justsomeguy@lemmy.world 37 points 1 month ago
[-] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 31 points 1 month ago

A ghoul who will suffer no consequences, because while Europe is sending parade units to flex on the beaches of Qeqertarsuaq this asshole is allowed to continue operating Estée Lauder across the continent.

If he were Russian, he'd be drowning under sanctions right now. Instead, the guy gets to bait the US into the worst Intra-NATO conflict since Cyprus and pocket a windfall no questions asked.

[-] phutatorius@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 month ago

A ghoul who will suffer no consequences

The future is unwritten.

[-] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

The writing is on the wall

[-] Elextra@literature.cafe 26 points 1 month ago

Think it's also a way to get rich. My husband told me military and defense related stocks went up (he's tracking politician trading)

I haven't followed myself but can believe that.

[-] DaMummy@lemmy.world 19 points 1 month ago

I wouldn't take the word of John Bolton as worth anything more than toilet paper. I think the Peter Thiel connection to Greenland is much more worth discussion, and it's the main reason why Vance is VP.

[-] RustyShackleford@programming.dev 24 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Both threads of reasoning can be true simultaneously; the veracity of one doesn't negate the veracity of the other.

[-] DaMummy@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago

Normally true, but again, John Bolton. I'd probably trust him on mustache upkeep though.

[-] samus12345@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 month ago

He doesn't really have a reason to lie about it. What would be the point?

[-] DaMummy@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

How well do you know who John Bolton is?

[-] samus12345@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 month ago

I know he's a right-wing asshole. But seriously, what would be his motive for lying about something like this? What would he gain? Maybe there's an angle I hadn't considered.

[-] DaMummy@lemmy.world 1 points 1 month ago

I can't read his mind. As he said, coups aren't easy. He puts the term "right wing asshole" to shame. He's so bad, I'm surprised he doesn't have a Nobel Peace Prize.

[-] Biffsbraincell@lemmy.zip 16 points 1 month ago

Of course Lauder is connected to Epstein too.

[-] zd9@lemmy.world 12 points 1 month ago

Wow I wasn't aware of this angle. I was assuming it was all just technofascist acquisitions for Praxis, and the whole cult of Curtis Yarvin's network state monarchy CEO idea (Peter Thiel who owns JD "Just Dance" Vance).

[-] Jumpingspiderman@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago

JFC he looks JUST as evil as he is!!

[-] Akasazh@lemmy.world 5 points 1 month ago

These are the brands he owns, so you might avoid buying them:

Cosmetics

AERIN Beauty
Bobbi Brown
Clinique
DECIEM by Brandon Truaxe
Dr. Jart+
Estée Lauder
GLAMGLOW
La Mer
Lab Series
MAC Cosmetics
Origins
Darphin Paris
Smashbox
Too Faced[42]
Tom Ford Beauty

Fragrance

Aramis
Kilian Paris
Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle
Jo Malone London
Le Labo

Haircare

Aveda
Bumble and bumble
[-] jdredbeard@lemmy.world 4 points 1 month ago
[-] Lor@leminal.space 3 points 1 month ago

Zero shock face :-|

[-] switcheroo@lemmy.world 2 points 1 month ago

Let's encourage Shitler to eat more hamberders...

this post was submitted on 15 Jan 2026
363 points (100.0% liked)

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