In a direct response to US President Donald Trump's public declaration of his ambition to control Greenland, officials from Denmark and Greenland are intensifying diplomatic efforts with US lawmakers, aiming to construct a legislative barrier against any potential actions by the White House.
High-level meetings are underway across the Atlantic. A delegation of US senators is scheduled to meet with members of the Danish parliament in Copenhagen later this Friday. This follows multiple rounds of talks in Washington between Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Greenland's Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and key congressional members.
The core strategy for Copenhagen and Nuuk is to secure steadfast support on Capitol Hill. By courting legislators who control federal spending, they aim to constrain the White House's capacity for action regarding the Arctic territory.
Recent talks between the US, Denmark, and Greenland have reached an impasse over the island's future. Although the parties agreed to establish a working group to address the dispute, President Trump insists the US must control the island, a stance unanimously opposed by Danish and Greenlandic authorities.
A bipartisan initiative is taking shape in the US Senate to counter the president's agenda. Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who has extensive experience in Arctic affairs, has emerged as a leading congressional critic of Trump's Greenland ambitions.
This week, Murkowski, alongside Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, introduced a bill aimed at prohibiting the use of US government funds to occupy or annex the territory of a NATO ally without its consent.
Speaking to reporters after meeting with the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland in Washington, Murkowski stated, "We are in a time when we are discussing things we once thought were not possible. It is important to send the message that Congress recognizes and supports the sovereignty of the people of Greenland, and we respect them as a people."
Although President Trump could veto the legislation, Congress retains the authority to attach spending restrictions to annual government funding bills.
When asked if the bill was merely symbolic, Shaheen emphasized its practical importance, saying, "It's important to express bipartisan support for NATO and for the relationship with Denmark and Greenland, and this legislation does that."
As the diplomatic maneuvering unfolds in Washington, European nations are demonstrating their support on the ground. A detachment of 13 German military personnel is set to arrive in Greenland on Friday, with personnel from France, the UK, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and the Netherlands also joining.
According to Danish sources, these troops are preparing for a military exercise intended to become a permanent mechanism. The rapid deployment underscores the urgency felt by European allies in response to what they perceive as a US threat regarding Greenland.
The semi-autonomous territory is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and is therefore protected by NATO's Article 5 collective defense clause. An EU Commission spokesperson, Anita Hipper, also noted on Thursday that the territory is "in principle protected by the mutual solidarity clause, Article 42.7 of the Treaty on European Union."
While most Republican lawmakers are reluctant to directly challenge President Trump, the party's establishment, particularly in the Senate, has made its support for the transatlantic alliance clear.
Former Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell issued a stern warning to the president during a Senate speech on Wednesday. He cautioned the president that attempting to seize Greenland from a NATO ally would be tantamount to "burning down the trust painstakingly built with loyal allies."
McConnell stated, "This is not just about Greenland. This is not just about America's relationship with its capable Nordic allies. This is about whether America intends to face a range of strategic competitors alongside capable allies... or chooses to engage in an unprecedented act of strategic self-harm, going it alone."
The bipartisan congressional delegation traveling to Copenhagen includes: Senator Chris Coons (D-DE); Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK); Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH); Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC); Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL); Representative Gregory Meeks (D-NY); Pennsylvania Democratic Representative Madeleine Dean; Representative Sara Jacobs (D-CA); and Representative Sarah McBride (D-DE).
Intensifying the diplomatic offensive, Danish Foreign Minister Rasmussen hosted a dinner for nearly 40 House representatives at the embassy on Wednesday. Rasmussen said, "The lawmakers I have met recognize that the Kingdom of Denmark and the United States are close allies, with a 225-year uninterrupted relationship. No other US ally has such a long record of continuous cooperation, and we should build on this."
At the heart of the matter is the dispute over Greenland's status, which has triggered rare, public tension between the United States and its traditional NATO allies. This high-level geopolitical uncertainty, particularly involving the US, NATO, and a strategic Arctic location, is a fundamental bullish factor for traditional safe-haven assets like gold.
During European trading hours on Friday, spot gold edged lower, down approximately 0.27% on the day, as a minor technical correction followed a recent strong rally. This does not alter the overall bullish trend supported by fundamentals, with the price remaining not far from the all-time high of $4,642.77 set this past Wednesday.
The Greenland incident represents a "potential risk source" that requires close monitoring. If signs emerge of a substantial escalation in US-allied confrontation or abnormal increases in military activity in the Arctic region, its weight as a catalyst for a market "black swan" event would increase, potentially triggering more significant safe-haven capital flows into gold.
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