US Congressional Delegation Seeks to Reassure Denmark and Greenland After Trump's Threats

AP, COPENHAGEN, JAN 17, 2026: A bipartisan US Congressional delegation on Saturday sought to reassure Denmark and Greenland of their support following President Donald Trump’s threats to punish countries with tariffs if they didn’t back the US taking over the strategic Arctic island.

Delegation leader Senator Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat, said the current rhetoric around Greenland is causing concern across the Danish Kingdom. He expressed his desire to de-escalate the situation.

“I hope that the people of the Kingdom of Denmark do not abandon their faith in the American people,” Coons said in Copenhagen, adding that the US has respect for Denmark and NATO “for all we’ve done together.”

Coons made these remarks during a news conference ahead of rallies planned in Copenhagen and Nuuk, the Greenlandic capital, in support of the self-governing island. His comments stood in stark contrast to those emanating from the White House. Trump has sought to justify his calls for a US takeover by repeatedly claiming that China and Russia have their own designs on Greenland, which holds vast untapped reserves of critical minerals. The White House has not ruled out taking the territory by force.

“There are no current security threats to Greenland,” Coons stated.

Trump has, for months, insisted that the US should control Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, and said earlier this week that anything less than the Arctic island being in US hands would be "unacceptable."

During an unrelated event at the White House about rural healthcare, he recounted how, on Friday, he had threatened European allies with tariffs on pharmaceuticals.

“I may do that for Greenland too,” Trump said. “I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland, because we need Greenland for national security. So I may do that,” he added.

This was the first time Trump had mentioned using tariffs to try to force the issue.

Earlier this week, the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland met in Washington with US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. That encounter didn’t resolve the significant differences, but it did lead to an agreement to set up a working group — a purpose that Denmark and the White House have sharply divergent views on.

European leaders have insisted it is only for Denmark and Greenland to decide on matters concerning the territory. Denmark said this week that it was increasing its military presence in Greenland in cooperation with allies.

“There is almost no better ally to the United States than Denmark,” Coons said. “If we do things 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 representations?”