Republican Senators Travel to Denmark to Undermine Trump's Greenland Goals

Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Thom Tillis of North Carolina broke ranks this week by joining a congressional delegation dominated by Democrats that traveled to Denmark, a visit openly framed as an effort to push back against President Donald J. Trump’s stated interest in securing U.S. control over Greenland.

The delegation’s trip comes as President Trump has made clear that Greenland holds critical strategic importance for American national defense, particularly in the Arctic, where global powers are rapidly expanding their influence. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Friday, the president underscored the stakes involved.

“NATO has been dealing with us on Greenland. We need Greenland for national security very badly. If we don’t have it, we have a big hole in national security, especially in what we’re doing in terms of the Golden Dome.”

The Golden Dome is President Trump’s proposed missile defense initiative, designed to protect the United States from ballistic threats in a manner comparable to Israel’s Iron Dome system, which proved decisive during the 12-Day War with Iran last summer. The administration has emphasized that control and access in the Arctic region are central to the system’s long-term effectiveness.

President Trump has also warned that failure to secure Greenland could open the door for hostile powers, specifically China and Russia, to expand their footprint in the Arctic—something Denmark may be unable to prevent on its own.

Despite those concerns, a 10-member congressional delegation traveled to Copenhagen on Thursday to meet with Danish and Greenlandic officials. Greenland remains a semiautonomous territory under Danish sovereignty.

According to the Associated Press, the delegation was led by Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware and included Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, and Peter Welch of Vermont. Five Democratic House members also participated: Reps. Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania, Steny Hoyer of Maryland, Sara Jacobs of California, Sarah McBride of Delaware, and Gregory Meeks of New York.

Following meetings with Danish and Greenlandic leaders on Friday, Coons framed the visit as a rebuke to President Trump’s approach.

“We spoke about the value of NATO and the commitment to respecting the core principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and self-determination.”

During the trip, Murkowski was asked directly whether Congress could stop President Trump if he pursued acquiring Greenland. She responded by emphasizing institutional checks on executive authority, noting that “you’re hearing from the executive branch” in the president’s statements.

Murkowski further highlighted Congress’s control over federal spending, suggesting that legislative approval would be required for any such acquisition.

“I think it is important to underscore that when you ask the American people whether or not they think it is a good idea for the United States to acquire Greenland, the vast majority, some 75 percent, will say, we do not think that that is a good idea,” she said.

“Greenland needs to be viewed as our ally, not as an asset, and I think that’s what you’re hearing with this delegation,” Murkowski added.

Politico reported that Tillis echoed similar concerns, warning that lawmakers from both parties could intervene if the president moved toward military action without congressional consent. Tillis “predicted members on both sides of the aisle would lock arms and require congressional signoff if it became clear Trump was preparing imminent military action.”

“If there was any sort of action that looked like the goal was actually landing in Greenland and doing an illegal taking… there’d be sufficient numbers here to pass a war powers resolution and withstand a veto,” Tillis said.

Outside the delegation, Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska went even further, telling Politico that President Trump would face impeachment if he ordered a military occupation of Greenland. Bacon reportedly dismissed the president’s focus on the territory as “the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Meanwhile, Danish officials have signaled openness to expanded cooperation with the United States, even as they reject the notion of American control. After meeting with Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen addressed the issue on Fox News.

“We share the challenges linked to the situation in the Arctic. We didn’t agree that it can only be achieved if the U.S. conquers Greenland.”

Rasmussen suggested that a negotiated expansion of military collaboration could address U.S. security concerns without altering sovereignty.

“We think that our way forward should be that we combine forces,” he said.

As President Trump continues to emphasize national security and America’s strategic interests in the Arctic, the dispute highlights a growing divide between the administration’s assertive defense posture and congressional Republicans willing to align with Democrats to constrain executive authority.