US pitch on Greenland fuels debate on security, alliances

Washington, Jan 8 (IANS) The Trump administration's comments on Greenland, framed by officials as a national security issue, set off a political debate in Washington over diplomacy, NATO alliances and US strategy in the Arctic.

At a White House briefing on Wednesday (local time), Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the possible acquisition of Greenland by the United States was "something that's currently being actively discussed by the president and his national security team."

She argued the issue was tied to US national security interests and the need to deter "Russian and Chinese aggression in the Arctic region". At the same time, she stressed that "the president's first option always has been diplomacy."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking separately to reporters, said President Donald Trump had talked about Greenland since his first term and that the idea was "not new".

Rubio said Trump was not the first US president to examine ways the United States might acquire Greenland, adding that "every president… always retains the option" to address threats to US national security.

As a diplomat, Rubio said, the United States "always prefer(s) to settle it in different ways," indicating that military action was not the preferred course.

The administration's remarks quickly drew responses from lawmakers on Capitol Hill, including senior Republicans and Democrats, many of whom warned that aggressive rhetoric could undermine long-standing alliances in the Arctic.

Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Angus King of Maine, co-chairs of the Senate Arctic Caucus, issued a joint response cautioning against any suggestion of force.

Murkowski said she hoped the administration's rhetoric was "nothing more than posturing for a new era of cooperation", warning that any effort to claim or take Greenland by force would "degrade both our national security and our international relationships."

King said, "There is absolutely no national security reason for us to own, occupy or control Greenland."

Democrats criticised the administration's posture. Representative Pete Aguilar of California said talk of military action against Greenland amounted to "threatening a NATO ally", calling such rhetoric "completely unhinged."

Representative Ted Lieu said there was "absolutely no legal justification whatsoever to use military force against a NATO ally, against Greenland," adding that any such action without congressional authorisation would be illegal.

Republican leaders sought to clarify the administration's position while emphasising diplomacy. House Speaker Mike Johnson said there was "no intent of being at war with Greenland," describing the discussion instead as one focused on Greenland's "geopolitical and strategic importance."

Johnson said Congress had not been asked to authorise any military action and that such action was not being contemplated.

Many lawmakers highlighted existing cooperation with Denmark and Greenland.

Congressman Mike Flood said after meeting the Danish ambassador and Greenland's representative in Washington that he was confident Rubio could "navigate a diplomatic win-win solution," noting their openness to measures that would enhance US security while respecting Danish sovereignty.

He cited Trump's earlier remarks supporting "the incredible people of Greenland" and their "right to determine your own future."

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell warned that "threats and intimidation by US officials over American ownership of Greenland are as unseemly as they are counterproductive."

McConnell said using force to seize the territory of "one of America's most loyal and capable allies" would be an act of "strategic self-harm" that could damage US global influence.

Lawmakers from both parties emphasised that close cooperation with Denmark and Greenland has long provided the United States with strategic access in the High North without the need for ownership.

Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. It occupies a strategic position between North America and Europe and sits near emerging Arctic shipping routes.

The United States has maintained a military presence on the island for decades, including at the Pituffik Space Base, formerly Thule Air Base, which plays a central role in missile warning and space surveillance.

--IANS

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