A bipartisan group of US lawmakers travelled to Copenhagen on Friday to reassure Danish and Greenlandic leaders of continued congressional support, as President Donald Trump's renewed threats to seize Greenland strain relations with the key NATO ally.
Led by Democratic senator Chris Coons, the delegation met Danish and Greenlandic officials amid growing unease over Trump's claims that the Arctic island is vital to US security and his refusal to rule out the use of force. European allies have responded by sending limited military reinforcements to Greenland at Denmark's request.
Several lawmakers sought to distance Congress from the White House's rhetoric. Senator Jeanne Shaheen warned that talk of annexation risked undermining NATO unity and benefiting Russia and China, while stressing that support for Denmark and the transatlantic alliance remains strong on both sides of the aisle.
The visit follows a tense meeting in Washington this week between senior US, Danish and Greenlandic officials, after which Copenhagen said it had failed to shift the administration's position. Danish foreign minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen reiterated that cooperation in the Arctic must respect sovereignty and international law.
Trump first floated the idea of acquiring Greenland in 2019, but it faces resistance in Congress and among the US public. Lawmakers from both parties have signalled support for curbing any unilateral move, even as the diplomatic row continues to deepen...