US congressmen go to Denmark to try to calm tempers amid Trump’s harassment of Greenland

US parliamentarians meet with officials from Denmark and Greenland A bipartisan delegation of American congressmen met this Friday (16) with the leaders of Denmark and Greenland in Copenhagen, seeking to “ease tension” amid President Donald Trump’s threats to annex the island. Trump claims that Greenland is vital to US security due to its strategic location and large reserves of mineral resources, and has not ruled out using force to conquer it. European nations sent small military contingents to the island this week at Denmark’s request. The American delegation, made up of 11 members and led by Democratic Senator Chris Coons, met with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, as well as Danish and Greenlandic parliamentarians. “There is a lot of rhetoric but little reality in the current discussion in Washington,” Coons told reporters after the meetings, adding that lawmakers would seek to “ease the tension” when they return home. Trump first mentioned the idea of ​​acquiring Greenland in 2019, during his first term, but faces opposition in Washington, including from members of his own party. View of Nuuk, capital of Greenland, on February 9, 2025 Sarah Meyssonnier/Reuters Trump envoy goes to Denmark Trump’s special envoy for Greenland, Jeff Landry, said this Friday that he plans to visit the Danish territory in March and that he believes an agreement can be reached. “I believe a deal should and will be reached as this situation unfolds,” Landry told Fox News. “The president is serious. I think he’s made his intentions clear. He’s told Denmark what he’s after.” Trump said Friday he may impose tariffs on countries that don’t support his plan, “because we need Greenland for national security.” The delegation in Copenhagen included Republican senators Thom Tillis and Lisa Murkowski, while the rest were Democratic congressmen. “I think it’s important to point out that when you ask the American people whether they think it’s a good idea for the United States to acquire Greenland, the vast majority, about 75 percent, will say no,” Murkowski said at a news conference. “This senator from Alaska doesn’t think it’s a good idea.” Lawmakers from both Trump’s Republican Party and opposition Democrats have said they would support legislation to restrict Trump’s ability to annex Greenland, amid an ongoing dispute over the war powers the Constitution grants to Congress. A House bill in support of the annexation of Greenland was also introduced. Just 17% of Americans approve of President Donald Trump’s efforts to acquire Greenland, and large majorities of Democrats and Republicans oppose the use of military force to annex the island, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll. Trump called the poll “fake.” White House meeting En route to the Danish parliament building, Christiansborg, where the Greenlandic flag was flying on the main staircase, Democratic Senator Peter Welch was asked if he had any advice on how to deal with Trump regarding Greenland. “Strongly defend your right to self-determination. This is really important. We support you. The president has no right to interfere in Greenland or Denmark,” he told reporters. Demonstrations were scheduled to take place in Danish cities and Greenland’s capital Nuuk on Saturday in support of Greenland. The Congressional visit followed a crucial meeting at the White House on Wednesday, where Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lökke Rasmussen and Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance. Rasmussen said Friday that the meeting with Vance and Rubio was constructive, even if the two sides presented different versions after the talks. While Denmark said it had drawn red lines making it clear that Greenland could not be annexed, the White House declared on Thursday that Trump’s goal of taking control of the island remained the same. “I would like to encourage everyone to remain calm and open-hearted, and to try to look beyond the media noise and superficial messages so that the work we set out together can begin,” Rasmussen said in a social media post.

Source link