If President Donald Trump stages U.S. military intervention to obtain Greenland, that would mean "war with NATO itself" and could spell the end of the long-time alliance, Rep. Michael McCaul warned on Sunday.
"If he wants to purchase Greenland, that's one thing," the Texas Republican told ABC News' "This Week With George Stephanopoulos." "For him to militarily invade would turn Article 5 of NATO on its very head, [and] in essence, put us at war with NATO itself."
President Donald Trump, in addition to refusing to rule out military intervention in his drive to acquire Greenland for the United States, said Saturday that he will impose 10% tariffs on goods from Denmark, Germany, the United Kingdom, France ,and other European countries starting Feb. 1.
He said the rate would rise to 25% on June 1, unless a deal is reached to buy the semi-autonomous island from Denmark.
"Greenland has been looked at by presidents since we purchased Alaska," McCaul said on Sunday. "It's very strategic from a national security standpoint against China and Russia."
Still, he said that as the United States has signed a treaty with Denmark, which rules Greenland, that allows full access to protect the island, there is no need to acquire it.
The United States, he said, "has full military access."
"If we want to put more military in there, we can," McCaul said. "We don't have to invade it.
"If he wants to buy it, that's fine. I don't see a willing seller right now."
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., also on Sunday's program, echoed McCaul's point, while accusing Trump of lying about obtaining Greenland for national security.
"Denmark and Greenland have both said to the United States, 'You can take what measures you need to protect the security of the United States and, of course, the NATO alliance,'" he said. "We have a base there already, and we can expand that base."
But, Van Hollen said, "this is about a land grab."
"Donald Trump wants to get his hands on the minerals and other resources of Greenland, just like the real reason he went into Venezuela had nothing to do with stopping drugs from coming," he said, calling on Congress to invoke the war powers resolution.
"We could, for example, cut off any funds that could be used for military purposes with respect to Greenland; we could take action under the war powers resolution," Van Hollen said.
"But a lot of our Republican colleagues talk big until it comes time to vote … they have to stop giving Donald Trump a blank check."
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.