Clifford E. Stanley, an 86-year-old retired mortgage broker from Las Vegas, flew to Nuuk, Greenland in early May with an unconventional business proposal. He approached residents wearing a double-breasted suit and offered $200,000 per person if Greenland joined the United States through his petition drive. Local police investigated but found no illegal activity.

Stanley, whose broker license was revoked in the early 2000s, calculated that purchasing Greenland for $12 billion would net each of the territory's 57,000 residents about $200,000. He estimated his potential commission at $72 million for facilitating the transaction, calling it "a sales job." This follows previous failed ventures in Saudi Arabia and Mongolia.

Despite President Trump's public interest in acquiring Greenland, most residents oppose joining the United States. Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen harshly criticized Stanley's mission, and the U.S. Embassy confirmed he has no government ties. Local protests demonstrate strong anti-American sentiment regarding territorial acquisition.

So far, only a handful of Greenlanders have signed Stanley's petition, and no one has hired him. He plans to remain in Nuuk seeking a meeting with Premier Nielsen, hoping to salvage his ambitious Arctic venture.