Republican congressman Randy Fine has introduced the Greenland Annexation and Statehood Act, saying it would allow President Donald Trump to take “whatever steps necessary” to acquire the Arctic territory.
President Trump has said the United States will take Greenland “one way or the other,” proposing to buy the territory or taking it by force.
In response, Greenland’s government has firmly rejected any notion of a U.S. takeover.
Leaders in Nuuk reiterated that Greenland will not accept being subsumed by the United States “under any circumstances,” emphasising respect for the territory’s autonomy and international law.
They have instead called for strengthened defence under the NATO alliance to counter external pressures.
The President believes the U.S. must acquire Greenland to counter perceived threats from Russia and China in the Arctic.
These assertions are disputed by independent analysts who note that neither Russia nor China has a significant military presence on the island.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that any unilateral attempt by the United States to seize Greenland would fracture the alliance that binds both nations, while European allies, including Germany, have stressed that only Greenland and Denmark can determine the island’s future.
Amid heightened diplomatic activity, a delegation of U.S. lawmakers led by Senator Chris Coons is planning a visit to Denmark to engage in high-level talks, a move seen as an attempt to ease tensions and clarify Washington’s position.
Critics argue that the latest U.S. push risks jeopardising decades of cooperative security in the Arctic and could undermine global norms against forcible territorial acquisition.
They highlight Greenland’s right to self-determination and point out that the island already hosts U.S. defence infrastructure through existing agreements with Denmark.
