WASHINGTON, D.C. — Just days after the operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro, the White House said Tuesday the president is “discussing a range of options” to acquire Greenland.
President Trump has long eyed the more than 800-square-mile island that holds a strategic advantage between the U.S., Europe and Russia. Hopes of someday acquiring Greenland are nothing new for President Donald Trump. But after Saturday’s extensive, covert military operation in Venezuela, the president has put other nations — and some lawmakers — on edge.
“I am totally dissatisfied about their answers of going into other countries, totally dissatisfied with what they might be doing in Greenland as well as in Colombia, Mexico and other countries,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., following an all-senators briefing at the Capitol with Secretaries Pete Hegseth and Marco Rubio.
Democrats are concerned that the administration will take similar action in Colombia, Cuba and even Greenland. Senator John Fetterman, D-Pa., said on social media that Greenland “has massive strategic benefits for the United States”; however, he does not support obtaining it by force.
“America is not a bully. Ideally, we purchase it — similar to our purchases of Alaska or the Louisiana Purchase. Acquiring Greenland is a many decades old conversation,” Fetterman said Wednesday on social media.
President Trump has reiterated that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority for the U.S., as China and Russia have recently turned to the Arctic for its resources. Greenland, a self-governing territory of NATO ally Denmark, is ripe with natural resources including oil, gas and rare earth minerals.
“There’s great assets in Greenland. And the question is, why are Russia and China so concerned with those areas,” said Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa. “I’m glad we have somebody sitting in the White House today who’s truly looking about what’s best for America. And if you want to make America great again, you better be strong again across the globe.”
Most congressional Republicans support the president’s actions in Venezuela and say the president is within his executive authority to act if other nations pose a threat to the U.S.
“The ramifications that it will have in Cuba, that it’s having elsewhere, Colombia — I mean, they should be concerned that they can’t be a hub for investment from our adversaries and a processor and producer of drugs where they think the United States is their customer. There’s so many positive things that are developing,” said Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa.
“It only took one generation of a socialist government, one generation to take a vibrant country from the top to the bottom,” said Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Mich. “The executive branch — it’s its role to keep our citizens safe and secure, whether it’s here or internationally,” Bergman said.
