American businessman Drew Horn is involved in several projects in Greenland, where he has major plans to establish a data center and a hydroelectric power plant in Kangerlussuaq, among other things.
Drew Horn has attracted a lot of attention for his plans, partly because he was a senior advisor to the US Department of Energy during Donald Trump's first term as president.
The Danish media outlet Berlingske can report on Monday that the employment in the administration had legal repercussions, with Drew Horn paying $59,000 or approximately DKK 380,000 in a settlement after the Ministry of Justice accused him of mixing his public employment with his private business interests.
The US Department of Justice announced the settlement back in July 2025 in a press release that has not previously been made public.
Horn: Competitors Planted False Accusations
Here, the Department of Justice writes that in January 2021, Horn worked on a specific case that affected the financial interests of a private company, with which he was simultaneously negotiating contract terms to serve as a paid senior advisor after his upcoming dismissal from government service.
As part of the settlement, Drew Horn has agreed to pay a civil penalty, but it is emphasized that these are only allegations and Drew Horn has not accepted any responsibility.
Drew Horn specifically emphasizes to Berlingske that the settlement was reached without an admission of guilt:
- I believe that my competitors tried to plant false accusations to create a false narrative that I violated the rules on conflict of interest, Drew Horn tells Berlingske.
