Yet not even Donald Trump’s second term as president has generated these kinds of problems. He’s brought new life into ideas of annexing Greenland, Canada, and the Panama Canal. This radically expansionist mindset has drawn considerable anger even from congressional Republicans, with important conservatives going so far as to publicly rebuke his scheme. The dramatic turn came after Wednesday’s meeting, in which the foreign ministers of both Greenland and Denmark stood by their original offer. Yet Trump’s demands remained non-negotiable, despite growing opposition.
Trump’s aspirations for Greenland actually grow out of extreme national security paranoia. He argues that the U.S. “needs” Greenland to better protect and promote its safety and strategic interests. Contrary to his claims, he’s faced with fierce criticism from key leaders within his own party. Nebraska Congressman Don Bacon came out strongly against the notion of using tariff threats to coerce countries that oppose Trump’s bid for Greenland. He cautioned that such moves might mark the beginning of the end of Trump’s presidency.
“If he went through with the threats, I think it would be the end of his presidency,” Bacon remarked, emphasizing the need for Trump to recognize Republican intolerance for such provocations. Even Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell agreed on this point. He likened the proposed seizure of Greenland to President Joe Biden’s messy retreat from Afghanistan in 2021. And then he issued a solemn but powerful warning — that would have disastrous implications for the future of Trump’s legacy.
As Trump’s campaign for Greenland escalated, European nations responded with horror. French, German, British, Norwegian and Swedish troops landed in Greenland this past week. Their arrival is a welcome indication of deep political support for the territory’s growing sovereignty. Ohio Congressman Mike Turner stressed the importance of respecting the rights of the Danish and Greenlander people, stating, “We must respect the sovereignty of the Danish and Greenlander people.”
Senator Thom Tillis’ speech on Greenland on the Senate floor had a lot of heart behind it. He countered that we ought to view Greenland through the lens of an ally, not an asset. He addressed the notion of capturing an autonomous domain inside the Kingdom of Denmark as “absurd.”
Nevertheless, despite push back like the above from influential Republicans, Trump has doubled down. Following the successful U.S. raid in Venezuela, President Maduro was brought to trial in New York. This event was the catalyst for Trump’s desire for greater U.S. dominion over the entire region. His ambitions have since overshadowed every other discussion in Washington.
Centrist Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska expressed her disapproval during a visit by a bipartisan congressional delegation to Copenhagen, stating, “This senator from Alaska does not think it is a good idea, and I want to build on the relationship that we have had.” Her remarks illustrate a more general worry among conservatives that Republicans would rather tear up the rulebook and pursue territorial expansion than improve our diplomacy.
Let’s put this in context—when a Republican senator from Louisiana like John Kennedy calls what Trump wanted “weapons-grade stupid,” you know just how serious this was. He made the case that any assault on the sovereignty of a NATO ally would be a colossal miscalculation of monumental proportions.
Adding to this confusion is Trump’s threat of new tariffs on any country that dares oppose his Greenland venture. The stakes are incredibly high as domestic and international reactions keep pouring in.