U.S. lawmakers wrap reassurance tour in Denmark as tensions around Greenland grow : NPR
Pipaluk Lynge, a Greenlandic politician; Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska; Aaja Chemnitz, a Greenlandic politician; and Sen. Chris Coons, Democrat of Delaware, from left, along with members of a U.S. congressional delegation at a news conference following a meeting at the Parliament House in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Friday. Denmark and Greenland are stepping up pressure on U.S. lawmakers to thwart President Trump’s attempt to take control of Greenland.
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Nichlas Pollier/Bloomberg via Getty Images
President Trump stepped up his crusade for the United States to acquire Greenland this weekend, just as a congressional delegation wrapped up a trip to Denmark to try to lower the temperature.
On Saturday, Trump announced on social media his intention to impose 10% tariffs on eight European countries, including Denmark, due to their opposition to his plan. He has pledged to increase tariffs to 25% by June if a deal on the acquisition of Greenland is not reached.
The threat follows a bipartisan congressional visit to Denmark, where 11 lawmakers attempted to reassure Danish and Greenlandic politicians of U.S. support.
North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, one of two Republicans in the delegation, blasted the president’s announcement on social media.
“Having a small handful of ‘advisors’ actively pushing for coercive action to seize an ally’s territory is beyond stupid,” he said. “This undermines President Trump’s legacy and undermines all the work he has done to strengthen the NATO alliance over the years.”
During the trip, the delegation met with senior Danish and Greenlandic officials, including Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who said the U.S. takeover of Greenland would mean the end of NATO.
“Greenland is part of Denmark. Denmark is our NATO ally. This should end this discussion,” Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat, who led the delegation, said Saturday.
“This is a time when our very positive relations have diminished a little, and I hope that the people of the Kingdom of Denmark will not abandon their trust in the American people,” he added.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska stressed the importance of not letting this issue “become a partisan issue.”
She suggested that there is broader Republican opposition to Trump’s plans than the delegation’s makeup reflects.
“I don’t think the Republicans’ absence is because they don’t care about this issue or have already decided which side of the fence they can be on,” she told reporters. “So I wouldn’t view that as an indicator of support or lack of support.”
Pipaluk Lynge, a Greenlandic politician who spoke with the delegation, said she had wanted to meet with the Americans for more than a year.
“The dialogue on social media will not have a better ending,” she said. “Face-to-face dialogue is really important, and it’s also important that they hear the perspective of the Greenlandic people themselves.”
Lynge said fears in Greenland are high and diplomacy is crucial.
“We are worried, the children of Greenland are worried. But we as politicians must work towards collaboration,” she said. “I hope that this can also be sent to the White House, that we will be open for business and dialogue and compromise.”
Legislators, crisis diplomats
The delegation highlighted the role that legislators can play on the global stage, meeting not only with political figures but also with the business community.
“We continue to hear about the challenges of an unpredictable and unstable political environment in the United States and how that can stifle investment,” said Rep. Sarah McBride, D-Del.
McBride said the Greenlandic delegation explained to lawmakers how existential this threat seems.
“I think it’s easy for people in the United States to see these headlines and view them as spectacle, as pure sabre-rattling,” McBride told NPR. “But I can’t stress enough how seriously people in Greenland and Denmark take this.”
The delegation also laid a wreath at a memorial recognizing the sacrifice of Danes deployed on international missions, with inscriptions of the fallen.
Jeanne Shaheen attends a press conference on Saturday with an American delegation, made up of senators and members of the House of Representatives, in Copenhagen, Denmark.
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“A black mark for America”
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., told NPR that the visit to the memorial is a reminder of the profound sacrifices Denmark has made.
“They supported us in two world wars – in Afghanistan,” she said. “Danish soldiers stood with the Americans. And the fact that the American president showed so little respect, appreciation and understanding for what Denmark did is a black mark on America.”
Shaheen, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Trump’s actions had “real ramifications for people here who feel betrayed by America.”
She added that its quest to acquire Greenland threatens the NATO alliance.
““One of the things that has made America so strong is our allies and our partners, and anything the president does to undermine those relationships, to undermine NATO, only gives Vladimir Putin in Russia and President Xi in China reason to celebrate,” Shaheen said. “And you can be sure they’re partying now.”
Trump has said China and Russia are encircling Greenland, but lawmakers have repeatedly said they have not received any intelligence indicating that threat.
Protesters in the town square during a demonstration in support of Greenland on Saturday in Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Martin Sylvest Andersen/Getty Images Europe
“The Yankees are going home”
This weekend also saw a massive demonstration in Copenhagen, where thousands of people protested Trump’s comments, some holding signs that read “Yankee go home.”
“It’s just absurd,” said Christian Michaelson, who grew up in Denmark.
“If you wanted a greater presence in the Arctic region, you could have just asked for it,” he said.
Charlotte Holm held a sign reading: “The Americans want the Epstein files. Not Greenland. Greenland is not for sale.”
“Leave them alone,” said Holm, who was born and raised in Copenhagen and has family in Greenland. “I hope [Trump] I’ll suddenly be obsessed with something else. »
She said she feared NATO would “implode” if Trump acted against a NATO ally, echoing the Danish prime minister’s comments.
“If we cross this line, we can’t go back,” she said. “You can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube.”
