Congress Slows, the President Pushes - Trump’s Greenland Policy Drives Washington to the Edge

Nervousness is growing in Washington. Not because new information has emerged, but because the president is stubbornly clinging to an idea that many in both parties consider extremely dangerous. Donald Trump’s threats to take control of Greenland have triggered an unusual dynamic in Congress. Republicans and Democrats alike are trying to limit the damage without risking an open break with the president. In recent days, signals of resistance have multiplied. Lawmakers delivered speeches on the importance of NATO, introduced bills intended to rule out an attack on Denmark, and traveled to Copenhagen to rebuild trust. The aim was to calm the situation, contain the escalation, and buy time. But while Congress is applying the brakes, the president is accelerating.

Trump insists on wanting to take over the Arctic island. Again and again. Publicly. Unambiguously. For many in Washington, this is the real breaking point. When the president of the United States calls into question the territory of a NATO partner, rhetoric turns into a strategic threat. And that is now how it is being perceived - in Congress, in Europe, among allies worldwide. A Democratic senator puts it bluntly. When the most powerful military nation on Earth repeatedly and openly threatens your territory, at some point you take it seriously. That is precisely why lawmakers from both parties traveled to Denmark. They wanted to lower the temperature, discuss military cooperation in the Arctic region, and above all make clear that Trump’s course is not automatically the course of the American legislature.

But the president is setting different accents. On Saturday, he announced that starting in February he would impose a ten percent punitive tariff on goods from eight European countries - in response to their rejection of his Greenland plans. On social media, he justified this with modern weapons systems and the need to acquire territory. For many lawmakers, this marks a new level of escalation. Leading Republicans have made clear that violent action against Greenland is not an option for them. At the same time, they conspicuously avoid criticizing the president head-on. Instead, they speak indirectly, referring to negative economic consequences, to a lack of support in the Senate, to options for which there is simply no majority. The pattern is clear. Distancing without open confrontation.

A former Republican majority leader openly warned that an attempt to occupy Greenland would destroy allies’ trust and burden Trump’s legacy with a foreign policy catastrophe. Such words are unusually sharp within the party. They show how seriously the situation is now being assessed.

At the same time, lawmakers from both parties point to an obvious way to secure American interests without tearing apart the alliance with Denmark. In talks with the Danish government, discussions focused on raw materials, military cooperation, and security in the Arctic. The Danish side made clear that there is no evidence of Russian or Chinese activities in Greenland - a central argument Trump uses to justify his demands. Nevertheless, his rhetoric has left marks in Europe. Several countries have sent troops to Greenland to support Denmark. In the view of some senators, this is a disastrous signal. Allies are forced to shift resources to protect themselves against a potential partner. A dynamic that plays into the hands of authoritarian adversaries and weakens the Western alliance.

In Congress, legal levers are now being discussed. Bills are intended to prevent Defense Department funds from being used for attacks or occupations of NATO territory without approval. Other lawmakers are considering legislatively overturning Trump’s tariffs. But the hurdles are high. Even if such initiatives were to pass the Senate, they would have to survive in the House of Representatives or overcome a presidential veto. Instruments from the area of war powers are also back on the agenda. They are meant to force the president to obtain congressional approval before military actions. In the past, such initiatives at least compelled the White House to provide briefings and assurances. But Republican leadership has recently argued that such resolutions are moot as long as no U.S. troops are on the ground. An argument that could serve as an escape route in the future.

Some Republicans go further and openly say what others only imply. One lawmaker declared that an invasion of Greenland would inevitably trigger impeachment proceedings - and that he would not shy away from that. Others criticize not only the president, but specifically his circle of advisers, whom they accuse of actively pushing the idea of a forced territorial takeover. Phrases like “beyond all reason” are being used, unusually blunt for internal party criticism. What remains is a political stalemate. Congress is trying to erect guardrails without risking an open break. The president ignores these warning signs and relies on pressure, threats, and economic punitive measures. Whether parliamentary counterforces will be sufficient to actually stop Trump’s Greenland course remains open.

Only one thing is certain. The debate has long crossed a threshold. It calls into question not only the future of Greenland, but the self-image of the United States as an alliance partner. And precisely for that reason, this conflict will not end quietly.