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One GOP lawmaker called Trump’s plan ‘the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard’
Brendan Rascius in New York Saturday 17 January 2026 19:11 GMT- Bookmark
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In a rare split from the White House, several congressional Republicans have voiced strong opposition to President Donald Trump’s plan to acquire Greenland, according to a new report.
At least half a dozen GOP lawmakers have criticized the proposal, calling it unprecedented, damaging to U.S. alliances, and a move that could trigger impeachment proceedings.
“There’s certainly not an appetite here for some of the options that have been talked about or considered,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said this week, according to Politico. Senator Mitch McConnell, Thune’s predecessor, said that military action against the territory would be “an unprecedented act of strategic self-harm,” which would risk “incinerating” NATO alliances.
In recent weeks, Trump has reiterated his strong interest in acquiring Greenland, potentially through military force, for U.S. national security purposes. He has claimed the Arctic island, home to about 57,000 people, faces threats from Russia and China.
On Saturday, Trump announced new 10 percent tariffs on the U.K., Denmark and other European nations over their opposition to his proposal to annex Greenland. Those tariffs would increase to 25 per cent on June 1 and would continue until a deal is reached for the US to purchase Greenland, Trump said.
open image in galleryOn Saturday, Trump announced new 10 percent tariffs on the U.K., Denmark and other European nations over their opposition to his proposal to annex Greenland. (REUTERS)"World Peace is at stake! China and Russia want Greenland, and there is not a thing Denmark can do about it," Trump wrote on Truth Social. He went on to claim Greenland is only protected by two dogsleds.
Just 17 percent of Americans support Trump’s plan to acquire the Arctic island, according to a recent Ipsos poll. A poll commissioned by the Danish newspaper Berlingske last January found just 6 percent of Greenlanders favor joining the U.S.
Officials from Denmark and Greenland, who strongly oppose Trump’s plans, met with administration officials at the White House Wednesday. Afterwards, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told reporters: “We didn't manage to change the American position.”
Senator Thom Tillis, who is retiring in 2026, said that both Republicans and Democrats would revolt if Trump attempted to take Greenland by force, according to Politico.
open image in galleryPeople attend a protest against President Donald Trump's demand that the Arctic island be ceded to the U.S., calling for it to be allowed to determine its own future, in Nuuk, Greenland, January 17 (REUTERS)
open image in galleryMultiple protests have erupted across Greenland following Trump’s repeated attempts to acquire the island (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)“If there was any sort of action that looked like the goal was actually landing in Greenland and doing an illegal taking … there’d be sufficient numbers here to pass a war powers resolution and withstand a veto,” Tillis said.
Meanwhile, Congressman Don Bacon predicted such an action — which he called “the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard” — would result in Trump’s impeachment.
The sharp Republican rhetoric follows efforts by lawmakers to reassure officials in Denmark and other European nations that U.S. military action lacks congressional support. This week, lawmakers traveled to Copenhagen to deliver this message in person.
“Greenland needs to be viewed as our ally, not as an asset, and I think that’s what you’re hearing with this delegation,” Senator Lisa Murkowski said after meeting with European officials.
The White House said earlier this month that the Trump administration was “discussing a range of options” on Greenland but noted that “utilizing the U.S. military is always an option at the commander-in-chief's disposal.”
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