A Trump-appointed official who has spent years promoting closer American ties with Greenland says doing so could have an unexpected payoff: the return of all-you-can-eat shrimp at Red Lobster.
Thomas Dans, the chairman of the US Arctic Research Commission and a Texas financier, made the unusual suggestion in a New Yorker magazine profile that portrayed him as one of the driving forces behind President Trump’s push to expand US influence in Greenland.
“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,” Dans told the New Yorker.
The magazine reported that Dans, accused by Danish authorities of helping run “influence operations” aimed at increasing American sway over the Arctic island, served on a previously undisclosed National Security Council task force focused on Greenland during Trump’s first term.
The Post has sought comment from Dans and the White House.
A longtime Trump ally, Dans also served at the Treasury Department during the president’s first term, where he was counselor to the under secretary for international affairs and helped oversee portions of the federal government’s pandemic-era relief efforts.
In recent years, however, he has become best known for his advocacy on Greenland and Arctic issues through American Daybreak, an organization that promotes closer ties between the US and Greenland.
Trump has spent years fixated on Greenland, arguing that the vast Arctic island is critical to American national security because of its strategic location between North America and Europe and its access to shipping routes and natural resources.
After first floating the idea of purchasing Greenland during his first term, Trump revived the push after returning to office, declaring that US “ownership and control” of the territory was an “absolute necessity” for national security.
While Trump has framed Greenland as a national-security imperative, critics have warned that any attempt to acquire the territory would strain relations with Denmark, a longtime NATO ally.
Polling has also shown overwhelming opposition among Greenlanders to becoming part of the US.
It is also unclear how a potential US acquisition of Greenland would boost Red Lobster’s fortunes.
The chain’s signature “Endless Shrimp” promotion has long been one of its biggest draws, allowing diners to order unlimited servings of shrimp for a fixed price.
But the deal became infamous after Red Lobster’s previous management team made it a permanent menu fixture in 2023, a move that attracted customers but hammered profits as seafood and labor costs piled up.
Former owner Thai Union later disclosed that the promotion contributed to an operating hit of roughly $11 million during a single quarter, helping turn “Endless Shrimp” into a symbol of the restaurant chain’s financial troubles.
Red Lobster ultimately filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in May 2024, though the company has said a range of factors — including inflation, rising costs and operational challenges — contributed to its downfall.
After emerging from bankruptcy under new ownership, Red Lobster initially distanced itself from the promotion before bringing back “Endless Shrimp” as a limited-time offering rather than a permanent menu item.
