A bipartisan delegation of U.S. lawmakers visited Denmark and Greenland this week to ease tensions following President Donald Trump’s repeated threats to seize the Arctic island. The trip, led by Democratic Senator Chris Coons, aimed to “lower the temperature” and assure European leaders of Congress’s role in any decisions affecting Greenland.
Trump has described Greenland as vital to U.S. security because of its strategic location and mineral resources, and has not ruled out using force. In response, Denmark requested European nations send limited military personnel to the island this week.
The 11-member U.S. delegation met Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Greenlandic Premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen, and members of both parliaments. “There’s a lot of rhetoric, but not much reality in the current discussion in Washington,” Coons said after the meetings.
Trump Envoy Plans Visit in March
Jeff Landry, Trump’s special envoy to Greenland, told Fox News he plans to visit the Danish territory in March and expects a deal to be possible. “The president is serious. He’s laid the markers down,” Landry said.
Trump also warned on Friday that he might impose tariffs on countries that do not support his Greenland plan, citing national security. The Copenhagen delegation included Republican Senators Thom Tillis and Lisa Murkowski, alongside Democratic colleagues.
Murkowski stressed public opposition to the proposal: “When you ask the American people if the U.S. should acquire Greenland, roughly 75% say no. This senator from Alaska does not think it is a good idea.”
Congressional Oversight and Public Opinion
Lawmakers from both parties have signaled support for legislation limiting Trump’s authority to annex Greenland, citing war powers reserved for Congress. A separate House bill advocating for annexation has also been introduced. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found only 17% of Americans back Trump’s Greenland efforts, with majorities across both parties opposing military action to take the island, a poll Trump labeled “fake.”
During the visit, Senator Peter Welch urged Greenland and Denmark to protect self-determination: “The president has no business messing with Greenland or Denmark,” he told reporters. Demonstrations were scheduled across Danish cities and in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, in support of the island’s autonomy.
The congressional trip follows a White House meeting last Wednesday where Danish and Greenlandic foreign ministers met Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance. Rasmussen called the talks “constructive,” even as the two sides described them differently. While Denmark has established red lines confirming Greenland cannot be acquired, the White House reaffirmed Trump’s ambition to pursue the island.
Trump initially floated the idea in 2019, but the proposal continues to face opposition in Washington, including from within his own party.
This article is based on reporting by Stine Jacobsen/Reuters
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