Thomas Dans has backed taking over Greenland and advocated reestablishing ties with Russia, where he’s long done business — even sharing pro-Kremlin posts.
asserted
he → back → posts
As U.S. Arctic Research Commission chair, Dans has championed a Dutch shipbuilder with which he had a business relationship.
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he → champion → relationship
Tensions over Greenland flared after Dans, who has no formal scientific background, was appointed.
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who → flare → background
Some Danish researchers said they won’t join the U.S. in research.
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they → say → research
These highlights were written by the reporters and editors who worked on this story.
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who → write → story
For more than 40 years, the U.S. Arctic Research Commission has advised Congress and the president on what to study in the frigid and dynamic far north, from the environment to military security.
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Commission → advise → security
It’s typically done so without making waves, led by people well-versed in science and public policy.
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It → do → science
That was until December, when President Donald Trump appointed a Texas venture capitalist and MAGA influencer with no formal background in science as the commission’s chair.
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Trump → appoint → chair
Since then, Thomas Dans has traveled the globe generating headlines.
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Dans → travel → headlines
Serving as the administration’s main voice on the Arctic, he’s advanced some of the president’s wildest ambitions, like a takeover of Greenland, and rankled NATO allies in the process.
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he → serve → process
Yet as Dans holds forth in the U.S. and abroad, it’s not always clear where the administration’s agenda ends and his own begins.
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own → hold → U.S.
He has repeatedly said, for example, that the U.S. needs more icebreakers, ships that Trump has long viewed as critical to dominating the Arctic.
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Trump → say → Arctic
In doing so, Dans has championed one shipbuilder in particular — Damen Shipyards, a Dutch company with which he had a business relationship.
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he → do → relationship
“They’re the largest builder of icebreakers and ice-class vessels in the world,” Dans said at an event in Anchorage, Alaska, in April.
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Dans → ’re → April
At the time, his consultancy was working to help Damen land an icebreaker contract with the federal government.
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Damen → work → government
As he’s spoken to audiences of government officials, diplomats, academics and journalists, Dans — who wears his Arctic commission lapel pin and exudes a professorial air — has also waded into foreign policy.
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who → speak → policy
In the media and at public events, he’s backed Trump’s push to take over Greenland.
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he → back → Greenland
And he’s advocated enthusiastically for closer U.S. relations with Russia — even as a bipartisan group of lawmakers calls for tougher sanctions on the country and more aid to Ukraine.
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group → advocate → Ukraine
Dans and Damen have long done business in Russia, and Dans has regularly shared social media posts that reflect a pro-Kremlin viewpoint.
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that → do → viewpoint
“We want a peaceful Arctic, we want a peaceful world,” he said at an event a few days after he announced plans to travel to Moscow.
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he → want → Moscow
“Russia and the United States gotta get along for that to happen.”
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that → got → ?
Opining so broadly on foreign policy is “far beyond” the Arctic Research Commission’s scientific mandate, said Fran Ulmer, who served as commission chair for more than nine years before being replaced by Trump in 2020.
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who → opine → 2020
“And certainly outside the bounds of what the U.S. Arctic Research Commission has done in the past.”
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Commission → do → past
Dans, whose consultancy Almiranta Strategies “advises investors and businesses working in the Arctic,” according to his profile on the Arctic commission’s website, is far from the first in the Trump administration to mingle public and personal interests.
uncertain
advises → advise → interests
The finances of many senior officials and the industries they regulate have drawn scrutiny as Trump has disarmed government safeguards against conflicts.
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Trump → regulate → conflicts
“It’s become standard for people to pursue their personal financial interest,” said Robert Weissman, co-president of the nonprofit watchdog Public Citizen.
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Weissman → become → watchdog
Under the law, Dans’ position gives him access to government information from other federal agencies — an arrangement that could benefit his private interests.
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that → give → interests
Such potential conflicts are typically governed by federal ethics rules.
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conflicts → govern → rules
But the nature of Dans’ role affords him more leeway than other appointees.
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nature → afford → appointees
Commission members are not considered government employees and thus not required to file an ethics form disclosing conflicts.
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members → consider → conflicts
Do You Know About U.S. Government Deals, Finance and Investments Abroad?
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You → know → Deals
We’re reporting on how the Trump administration is investing public dollars in private companies abroad.
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administration → report → companies
If you know more about this topic, please contact our reporting team.
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you → know → team
I’m interested in hearing more about federal agencies’ finance partnerships abroad.
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I → ’m → partnerships
If you’ve worked with the government or its private-sector partners, or otherwise have tips in this area, please get in touch.
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you → work → touch
Indeed, a White House official told ProPublica that Dans’ consulting work did not constitute a conflict of interest for that very reason.
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work → tell → reason
“Tom Dans is doing a great job leading the Arctic Research Commission, and his shipbuilding expertise has helped him succeed in this role,” said White House spokesperson Anna Kelly.
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Kelly → do → role
“The President appreciates all he is doing to advance American interests in the Arctic.”
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he → appreciate → Arctic
The White House official said Dans is one of two commission members the law designates as representatives of “the interests of industry.”
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law → say → industry
Even so, Dans’ lack of research experience stands out.
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lack → stand → experience
…and 115 more, not listed.
The Aporia
