Republicans in Congress are rejecting President-elect Donald Trump’s proposal that the U.S. might employ military action to claim control over Greenland and the Panama Canal.
Hours after Trump consistently avoided ruling out the use of military force during a spontaneous press briefing, several GOP legislators expressed skepticism about the incoming president’s seriousness.
“I attempted to interpret Trump not as saying, ‘Oh yes, I wholeheartedly support going to war over Panama and Greenland.’ Rather, I believe his point is that we essentially relinquished control over the canal and are now incurring significant shipping expenses,” stated Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), a prominent member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, in an interview with the Daily Beast.
A New York Times journalist queried Trump at Mar-a-Lago regarding whether he could guarantee that he would refrain from using “military or economic coercion” to exert control over the Panama Canal or Greenland. Trump responded, “I can’t provide you with assurances on either of those matters. However, I will say this: we require them for our economic security.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson informed the press on Capitol Hill that he has not engaged in discussions with Trump about the Panama Canal or Greenland and was hesitant to comment further.
“But, I mean,” he remarked, “the Panama Canal, in particular, is undeniably of immense significance to our nation, as is Greenland. The actions we will take and how we will proceed on this issue have not been part of my discussions.”
McCaul, who led the House Foreign Affairs Committee until this month, shared his perspective on Trump’s comments regarding Greenland.
“There are numerous rare minerals there; he has always shown interest in Greenland, likely due to its rich natural resources,” McCaul noted.
Another senior GOP member suggested that Trump might just be making a statement in an attempt to ignite dialogue about Denmark potentially transferring governance of the Arctic island.
“We would never resort to force to obtain Greenland. I consider this merely him making a statement. Still, I completely agree with his ambition for the U.S. to acquire Greenland. There are national security and prospective economic advantages to having it as part of our territories,” remarked the lawmaker.
“I anticipate that he will encourage Denmark and other NATO allies to endorse the transfer of Greenland to the U.S. for military security reasons. This rhetoric is likely just an early step in that process,” they added.
A third GOP member simply chuckled, quipping: “Yeah, let’s invade Greenland.”
The president-elect’s son, Don Jr., shared a photo of himself visiting the Danish territory on Tuesday, captioned: “Greenland loves America and Trump!!! Remarkable people with an equally wonderful welcome. They merely want to be able to leverage some of the incredible resources they have and support their nation and future generations.”
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has countered the suggestion that Greenland is available for purchase, asserting on Tuesday: “Greenland is not for sale.”
