A bipartisan group of US lawmakers will visit Denmark this week as President Donald Trump threatens a takeover of Greenland, an autonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark that hosts a US airbase.
The delegation will be led by Democratic Senator Chris Coons and will include Republican Senator Thom Tillis and Democratic Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Dick Durbin, along with several members of the House of Representatives, Coons’ office said in a statement on Monday.
Why it matters
Democratic and Republican lawmakers said last week they expect the US Senate to eventually vote on legislation aimed at reining in Trump’s ability to attempt to seize Greenland from Denmark, a long-standing US ally.
Trump has repeatedly said Washington must own Greenland to prevent Russia or China from occupying the strategically located, mineral-rich Arctic territory. He has argued that an existing US military presence there is insufficient.
“One way or the other we are going to take Greenland,” Trump has said, while adding that he would prefer to strike a deal with Denmark.
Greenland and Denmark have both said the territory is not for sale, but Trump has not ruled out taking it by force. Denmark and the US, both NATO members, are scheduled to meet this week to discuss the issue.
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© France 24
01:47
Key quotes
“As co-chair of the Senate NATO Observer Group, I believe it is critical that Congress stands united in supporting our allies and respecting the sovereignty of Denmark and Greenland,” said Tillis, a member of Trump’s Republican Party.
Trump’s “continued threats toward Greenland are unnecessary and would only weaken our NATO alliance,” Durbin added.
The delegation will be in Copenhagen on Friday and Saturday, according to Coons’ office.
Read morePM says Denmark faces ‘decisive moment’ as Trump renews threat of force over Greenland
Competing bills
Republican Representative Randy Fine introduced a bill on Monday — the Greenland Annexation and Statehood Act — which, if passed, would grant Trump the authority to annex Greenland.
Democratic Representative Jimmy Gomez is preparing a competing measure — the Greenland Sovereignty Protection Act — that would block federal funds from being used to finance any effort by Trump to take over Greenland.
Context
While Trump has previously floated the idea of taking control of the island, concerns have intensified following his order of a deadly US military raid earlier this month in Venezuela to seize the country’s ousted leader, Nicolas Maduro. Maduro was subsequently taken to New York and remains in custody.
(FRANCE 24 with Reuters)
English (US) · 