US lawmakers plan Denmark visit as Trump threatens Greenland takeover

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A bipartisan group of US lawmakers will visit Denmark this week as President Donald Trump threatens a takeover of Greenland, an autonomous part of the kingdom of Denmark that houses a US airbase.

The delegation will be led by Democratic US Senator Chris Coons and will include Republican US Senator Thom Tillis and Democratic Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Dick Durbin along with some members of the House of Representatives, Coons' office said in a statement on Monday.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

Democratic and Republican US lawmakers said last week they expected the US Senate would eventually vote on legislation seeking to rein in Trump's ability to attempt to seize Greenland from Denmark, a long-time US ally.

Trump has repeatedly said Washington must own Greenland to prevent Russia or China from occupying the strategically located and minerals-rich Arctic territory. He says a US military presence there is not enough.

"One way or the other we are going to take Greenland," Trump has said while adding he would prefer to make a deal with Denmark.

Greenland and Denmark have said that Greenland is not for sale, but Trump has not ruled out taking it by force. Denmark and the US, both NATO members, are scheduled to meet this week to discuss the issue.

KEY QUOTES

"As co-chair of the Senate NATO Observer Group, I believe it is critical that Congress stands united in supporting our allies and respecting the sovereignty of Denmark and Greenland," Senator Tillis from Trump's Republican Party said.

Trump's "continued threats toward Greenland are unnecessary and would only weaken our NATO alliance," Durbin added.

The delegation will be in Copenhagen on Friday and Saturday, Coons' office noted.

COMPETING BILLS

Republican US Representative Randy Fine introduced a bill on Monday – called the Greenland Annexation and Statehood Act – that, if passed, would give Trump the authority to annex Greenland. Democratic US Representative Jimmy Gomez planned a competing bill – called Greenland Sovereignty Protection Act – that would block federal money from being used to fund any of Trump's plans to takeover Greenland.

CONTEXT

While Trump has previously threatened a takeover of the island, concerns about it were renewed after he ordered a deadly US military raid earlier this month in Venezuela to seize its now ousted leader Nicolas Maduro, who was subsequently brought to New York and remains in custody.