Congressional Republicans pressed President Donald Trump to stop floating the idea of annexing Greenland, warning that the rhetoric is needlessly raising tensions with a key NATO partner.
The pushback comes as the White House — newly emboldened following its military operation in Venezuela — has refused to rule out the possibility of a military takeover of the Danish territory.
On Monday night, Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, a member of House GOP leadership, delivered a rare public rebuke of the president's stance, calling the administration's "sabre-rattling" over Greenland "needlessly dangerous."
Trump has long expressed interest in Greenland and reiterated as recently as Sunday that the United States "needed" the territory for national security. But his latest comments drew sharp reactions from NATO allies, who warned that military action could fracture the alliance.
In a joint statement, Moore and Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., co-chairs of the Friends of Denmark Caucus, underscored the stakes of any potential escalation.
"The Kingdom of Denmark is a NATO ally and one of America's closest partners. An attack on Greenland – a crucial part of that alliance – would tragically be an attack on NATO," they said.
Trump adviser Stephen Miller further fueled the backlash during a CNN interview, suggesting that Denmark would not risk military conflict over the semi-autonomous territory.
"Nobody is gonna fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland," Miller said.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., sought to tamp down the controversy Tuesday, telling reporters that military action is "not something that anybody's contemplating seriously at this point."
Even so, the remarks have prompted scrutiny from Republicans who argue the president's focus on Greenland is straining long-standing alliances and giving U.S. adversaries an opening.
"There is no upside to demeaning our friends," Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., posted on X Monday night, calling it "embarrassing" that Denmark and six other European nations felt compelled to push back against the U.S. over Greenland.
The dispute over Greenland comes as the Trump administration also warns of possible military intervention in other nations, particularly Cuba, following the successful capture of former Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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