OAN Staff Cory Hawkins and Brooke Mallory
12:24 PM – Friday, January 16, 2026
A group of U.S. lawmakers, including members from both the Senate and the House, traveled to Denmark for meetings with Danish and Greenlandic officials amid what they described as “escalating tensions” over President Donald Trump’s renewed push to acquire Greenland.
The 11-member bipartisan congressional delegation was led by Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). The only other Republican in the delegation is Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and the rest are Democrats — such as Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), plus House members such as Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.), Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), Rep. Sarah McBride (D-Del.), and Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.).
Those leading the delegation suggested that their primary mission was to reaffirm the U.S. alliance with Denmark and express support for Greenland’s territorial integrity following renewed interest by the Trump administration in acquiring the island.
Trump has his sights set on the island, as it is essential for U.S. national security interests in the Arctic. While Greenland is often perceived as a remote, frozen expanse, it has become essential to American interests for at least two critical reasons:
- The “Arctic Shield”: As polar ice recedes, new shipping lanes are opening that bypass traditional checkpoints. Control over Greenland is vital for monitoring Russian submarine activity and countering China’s “Polar Silk Road” ambitions. The administration views the island as the ultimate forward-operating base for North American defense.
- The Rare Earth Race: Greenland contains some of the world’s largest untapped deposits of rare earth minerals. To break China’s stranglehold on the global supply chain for electric vehicles (EVs) and advanced missile guidance systems, the U.S. sees the acquisition, or at least total control, of these mines as a prerequisite for industrial independence.
After the initial meeting, Coons noted that the delegation also discussed NATO and “the commitment to respecting the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and self-determination.”
“We spoke about the value of Nato and the commitment to respecting the core principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and self determination, and we spoke with clarity about the importance that the people of Greenland make their decisions about their future.”
Building on his vision from 2019, President Trump has decisively elevated the acquisition of Greenland to a top-tier national security priority to secure the Arctic against Russian and Chinese encroachment. By early January, Trump made it clear that the U.S. will take the necessary steps to eventually acquire and safeguard the region, utilizing a “peace through strength” approach that keeps all economic and strategic options on the table.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio later reinforced Trump’s “deal-maker” strategy, clarifying that while the U.S. is keeping all options on the table to protect the Arctic, the primary goal is a diplomatic win. Rubio emphasized that the administration’s strength serves as the ultimate leverage to secure a negotiated agreement, ensuring Greenland’s security without the need for immediate force.
However, President Trump’s remarks about acquiring the territory have been met with strong resistance from Danish political leaders.
“I don’t think you’re going to find anyone here in Parliament who would be willing to sign a sale of Greenland,” said Rasmus Jarlov, 48, a Danish politician and a member of the Folketing for the Conservative People’s Party. “It’s something we’re just not going to do.”
While Denmark holds formal sovereignty over Greenland, the 2009 Self-Government Act grants the Greenlandic people the exclusive right to their own self-determination. Therefore, Copenhagen cannot legally “sell” the island without the explicit consent of the Greenlandic Parliament.
Additionally, any acquisition would require funding from the U.S. Congress.
While staunch allies of President Trump, such as Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.), have introduced the Greenland Annexation and Statehood Act to authorize such a move, the proposal faces an uphill battle as other politicians, including Tillis and various Democrats, have expressed skepticism toward the cost and the possible diplomatic fallout of a forced or purchased annexation.
Coons has argued that the American public is far more concerned with healthcare and the cost of living than with expanding U.S. territory. He essentially framed the Greenland acquisition as an expensive distraction.
“What I hear from my constituents in Delaware is, they want us to be working on healthcare costs, housing costs, grocery costs, not trying to spend money buying a part of the Danish kingdom that we already have the right to work with them closely on security or on economic development,” Coons said.
Nonetheless, U.S. Special Envoy to Greenland, Jeff Landry, told Fox News that he believes a deal can be achieved.
Landry signaled a high degree of optimism regarding the President’s Arctic vision. In the recent interview, Landry asserted his belief that a historic deal for the acquisition of Greenland is achievable, noting that the administration has already established the necessary strategic “markers” for negotiation. Landry, who plans to visit the island in March, has framed the move as a win-win: securing American national security while offering Greenlandic citizens unprecedented economic opportunities and protection from outside adversaries.
“The President is serious. I think he’s laid the markers down. He’s told Denmark what he’s looking for, and now it’s a matter of having Secretary Rubio and Vice President JD Vance make a deal,” Landry said, according to Reuters.
Denmark has reportedly rallied European partners to address their “concerns” over the Trump administration’s rhetoric regarding Greenland. On Thursday, Danish forces arrived in the capital of Nuuk, joined by a “symbolic” coalition of troops from France, Germany, and the Netherlands. This joint deployment, conducted under the framework of “Operation Arctic Endurance,” aims to signal Washington, D.C., that European allies consider Greenland’s sovereignty a non-negotiable red line.
“At the request of Denmark, I have decided that France will participate in the joint exercises organized by Denmark in Greenland, Operation Arctic Endurance,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in a social media post on Wednesday.
The leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and the UK joined Denmark in a joint declaration on January 6th to define the future of the Arctic. While acknowledging the United States as an “essential partner” in regional defense, the coalition remained firm on the principle of self-determination.
“NATO has made clear that the Arctic region is a priority, and European Allies are stepping up. Many other Allies have increased our presence, activities, and investments, to keep the Arctic safe and to deter adversaries,” the statement said.
Some analysts claim that any U.S. move toward a forced acquisition of Greenland would threaten Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. Historically, Article 5 has been invoked only once, in support of the United States following the September 11th terrorist attacks, a gesture that saw NATO allies like Denmark provide vital military support during the subsequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The renewed U.S. focus on Greenland is driven by its status as a critical frontier in the 21st-century Resource War. The island contains massive, untapped deposits of rare earth elements essential for advanced defense technology, offering a potential path to ending Western dependence on Chinese supply chains.
Its location is also a strategic cornerstone for monitoring Russian and Chinese Arctic activity. This interest is not a modern whim but the continuation of a long-term American objective, dating back to private post-World War II buyout offers that viewed the island as the ultimate forward-operating base for North American defense.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news alerts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
What do YOU think? Click here to jump to the comments!
Sponsored Content Below