A bipartisan delegation of US lawmakers visited Denmark this week to show support for Copenhagen and Greenland as President Donald Trump’s proposals to acquire the Arctic territory have stirred tensions. The 11-member group met with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Greenlandic Premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen, and members of the Danish parliament.
Senator Chris Coons, leader of the delegation, said the mission was intended to “listen to the locals and take their views back to Washington to lower the temperature.” Trump has repeatedly argued that Greenland is critical to US security, suggesting the United States could acquire it “the easy way” or “the hard way,” a reference to buying the island or using military force. Both Denmark and Greenland oppose any US takeover.
Greenland, a semi-autonomous region with a sparse population, is rich in natural resources and strategically located between North America and the Arctic. Its position makes it ideal for early-warning missile systems and maritime surveillance. The US already maintains more than 100 personnel at the Pituffik base, a facility operated since World War Two. Under current agreements, the US can bring additional troops as needed, but Trump has claimed that full ownership of the island is necessary to counter potential Russian or Chinese threats.
Denmark has warned that any unilateral US military action could undermine NATO, the alliance based on collective defence. European allies have expressed strong support for Denmark and emphasized that Arctic security should be a shared NATO responsibility. In recent weeks, France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, and the UK have sent small reconnaissance contingents to Greenland. French President Emmanuel Macron indicated that “land, air, and sea assets” would be deployed shortly.
The congressional visit follows unsuccessful high-level talks in Washington aimed at dissuading Trump from pursuing the island. The delegation includes Democratic senators and House members who are critical of Trump, alongside Republican senators Thom Tillis and Lisa Murkowski. Murkowski highlighted Congress’s authority over federal spending, suggesting legislators could block funding for military operations related to Greenland. She also pointed to public opposition: roughly 75% of her constituents reject Trump’s plan. Murkowski co-sponsors a bipartisan bill designed to prevent US annexation, while a rival Republican-backed bill seeks to support it.
Trump’s envoy to Greenland, Jeff Landry, told Fox News that any deal should be negotiated directly with Greenlandic authorities rather than Denmark. “The president is serious,” Landry said. “He’s told Denmark what he’s looking for, and now it’s a matter of having Secretary Rubio and Vice-President Vance make a deal.” Landry added that the US approach is not about conquest, but about offering economic strength, protection, and liberty.
The visit underscores rising concerns in Europe and Washington about the balance of power in the Arctic, where strategic resources and geopolitical interests are increasingly in focus.
