US Lawmakers in Denmark Seek to ‘Lower the Temperature’ Amid Trump Bid to Take Over Greenland

Trump has been forthright in his position on taking over Greenland, arguing that NATO would be stronger if Washington relieved Copenhagen of the territory.

U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) talks to journalists after members of the Danish Parliament and a Greenlandic committee met with American Congress members at the Danish Parliament, in Copenhagen, Denmark, on Jan. 16, 2026. Tom Little/Reuters

A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers meeting with leaders in Denmark and Greenland on Friday said they are attempting to “lower the temperature,” as President Donald Trump continues his push to annex Greenland, and assured the European nations that they have the support of the American people.

“There’s a lot of rhetoric, but there’s not a lot of reality in the current discussion in Washington,” Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) told reporters after the meetings. He said the lawmakers would seek to “lower the temperature” once back in Washington.

“I think it is important to underscore that when you ask the American people whether or not they think it is a good idea for the United States to acquire Greenland, the vast majority, some 75 percent, will say we do not think that is a good idea,” Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), one of two Republican lawmakers in the delegation, said at a press conference in Copenhagen.

The delegation, led by Coons, also includes Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Coons’s office said in a statement on Jan. 12. The group also includes members from the House of Representatives.

A total of 11 U.S. lawmakers joined the trip, during which they met with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.

“I’m proud to lead this congressional delegation to Copenhagen to demonstrate strong bipartisan and bicameral support in Congress for our Danish NATO ally,” Coons said earlier this week.

“Denmark has always been a strong diplomatic, economic, and security partner who sacrificed more lives than any other country relative to its population when the United States invoked Article 5 following the September 11 attacks.”

Shaheen said in remarks shared ahead of a speech she delivered in the Danish capital: “I know there are real, deep concerns here in Denmark and in Greenland. These concerns are understandable when trust is shaken. But I believe saner heads will prevail.

“And I believe that because institutions are already acting. On both sides of the aisle in Congress, there is overwhelming support for NATO and for the U.S.-Danish relationship. And among the American people, eighty-six percent of whom, in a recent poll, said they oppose the use of military force to take Greenland.”

Working Group Established

The lawmakers’ Scandinavian sojourn comes amid high-level talks in Washington between members of the Trump administration and representatives of Denmark and Greenland.

On Jan. 14, the foreign ministers of Denmark and its semi-autonomous territory of Greenland said they had agreed to form a high-level working group with the United States to help steer the Arctic island’s future.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt at the White House on Jan. 14 to discuss the issue.

At a news conference outside the Danish Embassy following the White House meeting, Rasmussen described a “frank but also constructive discussion” with Vance and Rubio, but said disagreements remain.

Trump has been forthright in his position on taking over Greenland, an autonomous part of the kingdom of Denmark, saying that NATO would be stronger if Washington relieved Copenhagen of the territory, which is also the world’s largest island.

Ahead of the meeting between Vance, Rubio, Rasmussen, and Motzfeldt, Trump said in a post on Truth Social: “The United States needs Greenland for the purpose of National Security. It is vital for the Golden Dome that we are building. NATO should be leading the way for us to get it.”

If Washington does not control Greenland, then Russia or China will, Trump warned, adding that without U.S. support, NATO would be an ineffective force or deterrent.

“NATO becomes far more formidable and effective with Greenland in the hands of the UNITED STATES,” Trump said. “Anything less than that is unacceptable.”

European Troops Arrive

American rhetoric about Greenland has rattled European allies, whose troops began arriving on the island on Jan. 15 for a joint exercise.

European NATO nations, including France, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden, have begun deploying troops to the Arctic to demonstrate support for Denmark and Greenland, which has been part of the Danish realm for more than 600 years.

Copenhagen also announced it was boosting its military presence on the islands, shortly after the meeting in Washington.

Officially, the troop movements are intended to convey unity among Europeans and signal to Trump that a U.S. takeover of Greenland is unnecessary, as NATO countries working together can safeguard the Arctic region’s security.

Despite this, the White House has said that the presence of European troops in Greenland won’t change Trump’s view that the island should become part of the United States.

“I don’t think troops in Europe impact the president’s decision-making process, nor does it impact his goal of the acquisition of Greenland at all,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at a press briefing.

On Capitol Hill earlier this week, Democratic and Republican lawmakers introduced competing bills relating to Trump’s bid to take control of Greenland.

Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) introduced a bill on Jan. 12 titled the Greenland Annexation and Statehood Act, which, if passed, would give Trump the authority to annex Greenland.

Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.) introduced a competing bill the same day called the Greenland Sovereignty Protection Act, which would block federal money from being used to fund any takeover of the island.

Emel Akan and Kimberly Hayek contributed to this report.