Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., warned Wednesday that any U.S. move to seize Greenland would devastate America's alliances and undermine NATO at a critical moment of global instability, calling it an act that would incinerate "the hard-won trust of loyal allies."
"For years, the most pressing concern about the future of NATO was whether and when European allies would take the obligations of collective defense more seriously," McConnell said in a speech on the Senate floor.
"But today, the biggest questions about the most successful military alliance in the history of the world have to do with the United States," he said.
McConnell questioned "whether America still recognizes our interests as an anchor of transatlantic security, an arsenal of democracy, and a global leader — not a regional power."
He traced NATO's origins to the aftermath of World War II, arguing that U.S. leaders understood American security was inseparable from Europe's stability.
Quoting George C. Marshall, secretary of state under President Harry Truman, McConnell reminded lawmakers that "the United States should do whatever it is able to do to assist in the return of normal economic health in the world, without which there can be no political stability and no assured peace."
While acknowledging past frustration over burden-sharing, McConnell said Europe has changed, citing higher defense spending as a share of gross domestic product.
"This year, Poland will spend 4.8% of its GDP on defense. Estonia and Lithuania will spend 5%," he said, adding that Germany has "dramatically increased defense spending" and amended its Constitution to allow deficit spending for defense.
"Our allies' long holiday from history is over," McConnell said.
"America's recognition of Denmark's political and economic interests in Greenland dates back to World War I.
"And brave Danish soldiers fought and died in America's wars in Afghanistan and Iraq," he said, adding that he has heard no justification for taking Greenland by force.
"Unless and until the president can demonstrate otherwise, the proposition at hand today is very straightforward: incinerating the hard-won trust of loyal allies in exchange for no meaningful change in U.S. access to the Arctic."
McConnell warned that such a move would undo years of progress on deterrence.
"Following through on this provocation would be more disastrous for the president's legacy than withdrawing from Afghanistan was for his predecessor," he said.
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