Snopes investigated a viral claim that a Trump-appointed official said the U.S. wants Greenland to supply seafood so Red Lobster could restore "all-you-can-eat" shrimp. The line is attributed to Thomas E. Dans in a New Yorker article, but Snopes emailed Dans and had not received confirmation, leaving the quote unverified. The remark appears only once in the piece, begins with "my view," and may be personal or facetious. Red Lobster was already running an "Endless Shrimp" promotion in 2026 that did not rely on Greenland seafood.
Fact Check: Did a Trump Appointee Say Greenland Could Restore “All-You-Can-Eat” Shrimp at Red Lobster?
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Social posts claimed that Thomas E. Dans, a Trump-appointed chair of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission (USARC), told The New Yorker that one reason the United States might seek to acquire Greenland is to secure seafood and “bring back all-you-can-eat shrimp at Red Lobster.” The line has circulated widely online and been shared across Facebook, X, Instagram and Reddit.
The Quote
"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."
What Snopes Found
The sentence appears near the end of a New Yorker feature by Ben Taub. Snopes contacted Dans by email to confirm whether he actually made the remark and to clarify his intent, but had not received a response at the time of publication. Because Snopes could not independently verify the quote's authenticity or how Dans intended its tone, the fact-checker left the claim unrated.
Within the New Yorker article, mention of seafood and Red Lobster occurs only in this single line. Dans prefaced the sentence with "my view," indicating it may have been presented as a personal opinion rather than an official administration policy. Written quotes can be ambiguous, and it is unclear from the text whether the comment was earnest, ironic or flippant.
Context And Practical Notes
Independently of the attribution question, Red Lobster did not need a Greenland seafood deal to offer an "Endless Shrimp" promotion in 2026: the chain began a limited-time Dine-In "Endless Shrimp" offer in April 2026 and had no announced end date in June. That promotional fact suggests the viral posts conflate a promotional marketing program with a purported geopolitical motive.
More broadly, reporting has documented sustained interest from President Trump and some administration figures in Greenland for strategic, resource and geopolitical reasons. Those discussions have drawn international attention and concern, including reporting that various options were considered by U.S. officials.
Bottom Line
The line linking Greenland seafood to restoring "all-you-can-eat" shrimp at Red Lobster is attributed to Thomas Dans in The New Yorker, but Snopes could not confirm with Dans directly and therefore left the claim unverified. The remark may reflect a personal opinion or a jokey aside; it stands alone in the article. Snopes said it would update its coverage if Dans responds or if new information emerges.
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