BY EMMANUEL OGBONNA
A bipartisan delegation of U.S. lawmakers traveled to Denmark and Greenland on Saturday to reassure leaders and residents of continued American support, seeking to cool tensions sparked by President Donald Trump’s recent threats to impose tariffs on countries that do not back U.S. control of Greenland.
Leading the delegation, Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware said the rhetoric surrounding Greenland has unsettled the Danish kingdom and raised doubts about Washington’s intentions toward a close ally. Speaking in Copenhagen, Coons said the visit was intended to de-escalate a dispute that has grown increasingly sharp in recent weeks.
“I hope that the people of the Kingdom of Denmark do not abandon their faith in the American people,” Coons said, stressing that the United States respects Denmark and its long-standing role within NATO. He emphasized the depth of cooperation between the two nations and said recent statements from Washington should not overshadow decades of shared security and diplomatic ties.
Coons spoke ahead of planned rallies in Copenhagen and Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, where supporters of the self-governing Arctic territory were expected to demonstrate in favor of its autonomy and continued ties with Denmark. Greenland, while largely self-governing, remains part of the Danish kingdom and is home to a small population spread across a vast, strategically significant landmass in the Arctic.
The lawmakers’ conciliatory message stood in contrast to the tone coming from the White House. Trump has repeatedly argued that the United States needs to take control of Greenland for national security reasons, pointing to growing interest in the Arctic from China and Russia. Greenland is believed to hold substantial untapped reserves of critical minerals, adding to its strategic and economic appeal as competition intensifies in the region. Administration officials have declined to rule out the use of force, further alarming European allies.
“There are no current security threats to Greenland,” Coons said, pushing back against claims that immediate dangers justify drastic action. He argued that concerns about Arctic security are best addressed through cooperation with allies rather than coercion.
Trump has pressed the issue for months, describing Greenland as essential to U.S. interests and saying earlier this week that any outcome short of American control would be “unacceptable.” On Friday, during an unrelated White House event focused on rural health care, he said he had previously threatened European allies with tariffs on pharmaceuticals and suggested similar measures could be used to force support over Greenland.
“I may do that for Greenland too,” Trump said, adding that tariffs could be imposed on countries that refuse to go along with his position. The remarks marked the first time he explicitly raised the prospect of using trade penalties to advance the Greenland proposal.
Diplomatic efforts to narrow the gap have so far produced limited results. Earlier this week, the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland met in Washington with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. While the talks did not resolve the fundamental disagreement, the sides agreed to establish a working group. However, Danish officials and the White House have offered sharply different public descriptions of the group’s purpose, underscoring the lack of consensus.
European leaders have pushed back strongly against Trump’s assertions, insisting that decisions about Greenland’s future rest solely with Denmark and Greenlanders themselves. Denmark has also announced plans to bolster its military presence in Greenland in coordination with allies, a move framed as defensive and aimed at reinforcing stability in the Arctic.
Coons warned that aggressive pressure on Denmark could have broader consequences for U.S. credibility. He described Denmark as one of Washington’s most reliable allies and said undermining trust could ripple across NATO.
“There is almost no better ally to the United States than Denmark,” he said. “If we take actions that cause Danes to question whether we can be counted on as a NATO ally, why would any other country seek to be our ally or believe in our commitments?”
The delegation’s visit underscored unease within Congress about the direction of U.S. policy toward Greenland, even as the White House continues to press its case. For now, lawmakers said, their priority is to reassure partners that diplomacy and respect for sovereignty remain central to America’s approach, despite the heated rhetoric surrounding one of the world’s most strategically important and sparsely populated regions.