President Donald Trump's push to take Greenland drew resistance Friday from a veteran Republican senator and Canada's prime minister as Trump paired territorial pressure with tariff threats while Congress weighed funding and war powers limits.
After a bipartisan U.S. delegation met with Danish and Greenlandic officials in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said it was "an important message for the people of the Kingdom of Denmark to understand" that the U.S. has three branches of government.
"In Congress, we have tools at our disposal under our constitutional authority that speaks specifically to the power of the purse through appropriations," she said.
Murkowski added that Greenland, which is a self-governing territory of Denmark, should be treated as an "ally," pushing back against any suggestion it be regarded as an "asset."
She traveled with the group led by Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., as lawmakers sought to reassure Danish and Greenlandic officials amid rising tensions.
The delegation aimed to "lower the temperature" and stressed bipartisan opposition to any forced move.
Coons challenged Trump's national security rationale.
"Are there real, pressing threats to the security of Greenland from China and Russia? No, not today," the senator said.
Denmark's Joint Arctic Command chief, Maj. Gen. Soren Andersen, echoed that point, saying no Chinese or Russian ships are near Greenland.
In Washington, pressure is building to restrict any unilateral action.
A bipartisan bill introduced this week would seek to bar federal funds from being used to support a U.S. invasion of a NATO ally, a move supporters say is intended to reinforce Congress' role in authorizing military action.
Greenland's coalition government said it "can in no way accept a U.S. takeover of Greenland" and that defense should be handled through NATO.
Trump, meanwhile, has broadened the pressure campaign beyond military talk.
The Associated Press reported that he said Friday he "may put a tariff on countries if they don't go along with Greenland," arguing the U.S. needs the island for national security.
From Beijing, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney issued his first public warning on the dispute, tying it to alliance obligations.
"The future of Greenland is a decision for Greenland and for the Kingdom of Denmark," Carney said, urging NATO allies, including the U.S., to "respect their commitments."
"We are NATO partners with Denmark, and so our full partnership stands," Carney said.
"Our obligations on Article 5, Article 2 of NATO stand, and we stand full-square behind those."
In Brussels, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also positioned the European Union as a political and economic backstop, telling Reuters: "We respect the wishes of the Greenlanders and their interests, and they can count on us."
She added that the EU has "doubled down on investments and supporting Greenland" and that the bloc would "continue our work on Arctic security with our allies, our partners, including the United States."
Denmark and its allies announced this week that they will increase military presence in Greenland.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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