Washington: The US Congress is divided over Greenland as senior officials from Denmark and the Arctic island prepare for talks at the White House this week, pushing back against President Donald Trump’s threats over the territory.
The dispute has sharpened just as Danish and Greenlandic leaders are set to meet top US officials, bringing a diplomatic edge to a debate playing out on Capitol Hill.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt are scheduled to meet US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday. The talks will take place at the White House amid growing unease among US allies over Trump’s comments on Greenland.
On Tuesday, Democratic Congressman Jimmy Gomez of California introduced the Greenland Sovereignty Protection Act. The bill would block federal funds from being used to invade, annex, purchase or otherwise acquire Greenland.
“Greenland is not for sale, not for conquest, and not a bargaining chip,” Gomez said. He warned that threatening an ally weakens international law and puts NATO at risk. He said the bill would stop Congress from funding what he called Trump’s “imperial fantasies.”
The legislation would also bar funding for any increase in US military presence or financial investment in Greenland unless Congress gives explicit approval. It would block US-funded influence campaigns aimed at shaping the political choices of the Greenlandic people. Any exception would require new legislation that directly refers to the Act.
Gomez’s office said the bill is not meant to change existing defense cooperation with Denmark and Greenland under NATO or other agreements. Instead, it is aimed at preventing unilateral action outside established international rules.
A day earlier, Republican Congressman Fine of Florida introduced a sharply different proposal. His Greenland Annexation and Statehood Act calls for decisive steps to bring Greenland under US control.
“Greenland is not a distant outpost we can afford to ignore—it is a vital national security asset,” Fine said. He argued that control of Greenland is key to Arctic shipping routes and US security. He warned that China and Russia are expanding their presence in the region.
Fine said years of weak US policy had allowed rivals to gain ground. His bill would authorize the president to take “whatever steps necessary” to annex or acquire Greenland as a US territory. It would also require a report to Congress on legal changes needed to admit Greenland as a US state.
The clash follows fresh remarks from Trump, who has said the United States must act to prevent Russia or China from gaining influence near Greenland.
“We are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not,” Trump said over the past few days. He warned that if Washington does not act, “Russia or China will take over Greenland.” He said ownership matters for defense, adding, “You don’t defend leases the same way.”
At the same time, Senator Chris Coons is leading a bipartisan group of lawmakers to Copenhagen. The delegation aims to reaffirm US support for Denmark and NATO. Coons said the visit would show that Congress remains committed to alliances and sovereignty.
(IANS)
