The Trump administration's push to seize control of Greenland is being overplayed, but President Donald Trump would ultimately use the issue to expand U.S. defenses in the Arctic, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Friday.
"How many of you believe NATO would be contributing this much money if it weren't for Trump?" he said, according to The Hill. "He's giving them a reason to do it, and they're doing it, so let's celebrate."
And "who gives [an expletive] who owns Greenland?" Graham added.
He also credited Trump with pressuring NATO countries to increase defense spending.
"The point is, Greenland is going to be more fortified because Donald Trump, once he feels like it's his brand or he has some buy-in, is going to go big," Graham said.
The senator is leading a congressional delegation to the Munich Security Conference this weekend, along with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.
Other senators expected to participate include Republicans Steve Daines of Montana and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Democrats Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Chris Coons of Delaware, and Mark Warner of Virginia.
Graham also said Europe and the United States have worked together to make Ukraine's army "the strongest army in Europe," adding that Trump would build out defenses in Greenland to deter Russian and Chinese expansion.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.