Donald Trump's escalating calls for the United States to seize or otherwise obtain Greenland have ignited fresh criticism from within his own Republican party, with figures including Thom Tillis, Lisa Murkowski, and Mike Pence warning that the move could harm the US economy and strain the Nato alliance.
Senators Tillis and Murkowski, who were part of a bipartisan delegation that travelled to Denmark to discuss concerns over Greenland, sharply criticised new tariffs threatened by Trump on European countries, including Denmark, until the US is allowed to purchase the territory. Murkowski described the tariffs as 'unnecessary, punitive, and a profound mistake', arguing they would push European allies away and play into the hands of Russian leader Vladimir Putin by threatening Nato stability.
Tillis echoed these sentiments, stating that the response to allies sending troops to Greenland for training was 'bad for America, bad for American businesses, and bad for America's allies', adding that 'actively pushing for coercive action to seize territory of an ally is beyond stupid'. Former Vice-President Mike Pence also expressed concern, saying the current posture threatened to fracture the strong relationship with Denmark and all Nato allies.
Republican House member Michael McCaul cautioned that a US military intervention in Greenland would likely spell disaster for Nato, potentially 'abolishing Nato as we know it'. Senator Rand Paul dismissed the notion of an urgent situation in Greenland as 'ridiculous'. Polling indicates a substantial majority of Americans oppose taking control of the island.
