Trump’s Reported Wild Puerto Rico and Greenland Swap Idea Draws Fresh Criticism

A reported conversation from Donald Trump’s first presidential term is resurfacing, reviving claims that he explored an unusual idea involving Puerto Rico and Greenland during discussions about expanding U.S. influence.

JUST IN: Trump reportedly asked aides whether the U.S. could sell Puerto Rico or swap it for Greenland. — Polymarket (@Polymarket) June 17, 2026

The account comes from Miles Taylor, who served as chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security during the Trump administration. Taylor said the former president considered whether the United States could trade Puerto Rico for Greenland, a proposal that emerged as Trump pushed to acquire the Arctic territory from Denmark.

“Not only did he want to purchase Greenland, he actually said he wanted to see if we could sell Puerto Rico,” Miles Taylor, a former chief of staff at the Department of Homeland Security, later said. “Could we swap Puerto Rico for Greenland? Because, in his words, Puerto Rico was dirty and the people were poor.”

Taylor first publicly discussed the claim in 2020, saying the conversation took place during a period when the administration was dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and Trump’s impeachment proceedings over Ukraine.

The Greenland discussions continued behind the scenes, according to Taylor, who said the issue became a significant focus among national security officials. The idea of purchasing Greenland was tied to strategic interests involving Arctic access and natural resources, though Denmark rejected the possibility.

The reported Puerto Rico discussion has remained a subject of debate, with supporters and critics interpreting the comments through different political lenses. Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory home to roughly 3.2 million American citizens, has continued to face long-running debates over its political future, including calls for statehood.

Trump has not confirmed Taylor’s account, though similar claims have appeared in writings from former administration officials including John Bolton and Fiona Hill.