A Trump-aligned Texas energy company, Greenland Energy, has proposed a "sealskin diplomacy" strategy to US President Donald Trump, urging him to lift the long-standing American ban on seal product imports to improve ties with Greenland. The 36-page white paper, authored by company chair Larry Swets Jr, suggests the move could generate income for remote Arctic communities and reduce local resentment over Trump’s repeated claims that the US seeks to annex the autonomous Danish territory. Greenland Energy plans to invest $60mn in initial drilling alongside UK firm 80 Mile to access what it claims is "a trillion dollars" of oil beneath Greenland.

The proposal includes a draft legislative amendment to the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act. While Greenland’s MP Naaja Nathanielsen welcomed the gesture as beneficial to hunters, she noted it comes "15 years too late" amid broader concerns about US intentions. Critics, including animal welfare groups, argue the plan exploits sealskin trade for geopolitical gain.

The White House and State Department did not respond to requests for comment.