'Needlessly Dangerous': US Lawmakers Warn Against Annexation, Urge NATO Unity With Denmark, Greenland
Lawmakers highlighted Denmark’s longstanding cooperation with U.S. defense initiatives in Greenland, noting that Copenhagen has consistently supported American military presence on the island.
Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) and Blake Moore (R-UT), Co-Chairs of the bipartisan Congressional Friends of Denmark Caucus, issued a statement on Tuesday against a recent rhetoric suggesting the annexation of Greenland, calling such proposals “needlessly dangerous” and a threat to NATO unity.
In a joint statement, the lawmakers emphasised that the Kingdom of Denmark, which includes Greenland, remains one of America’s closest allies and a critical partner in Arctic security.
"Sabre-rattling about annexing Greenland is needlessly dangerous. The Kingdom of Denmark is a NATO ally and one of America’s closest partners. An attack on Greenland which is a crucial part of that alliance would tragically be an attack on NATO," the statement read.
ALSO READ
Arab-Islamic Summit Slams 'Bloodthirsty' Israel, Mulls NATO-Like Alliance, Economic Countermeasures
The caucus highlighted Denmark’s longstanding cooperation with U.S. defense initiatives in Greenland, noting that Copenhagen has consistently supported American military presence on the island. Denmark currently spends 3.3% of its GDP on defense, surpassing NATO’s 2% benchmark, as part of efforts to deter Russian and Chinese influence in the Arctic.
"If the message is that ‘we need Greenland,’ the truth is that we already have access to everything we could need from Greenland," the lawmakers said, pointing out that Denmark has granted the US permission to deploy additional forces and build missile defense infrastructure when requested. "Threatening to annex Greenland needlessly undermines that cooperation for no gain."
The statement warned that internal discord within NATO would only embolden adversaries. “Russia, China, and other authoritarian regimes around the world are yearning for conquest. The last thing America needs is a civil war among NATO that endangers our security and our way of life," the press statement concluded.
It should be noted that Trump had called repeatedly during his presidential transition and the early months of his second term for US jurisdiction over Greenland, and has not ruled out military force to take control of the island.
His comments on Sunday, which included telling reporters, “let's talk about Greenland in 20 days,” further deepened fears that the US was planning an intervention in Greenland in the near future.
