Denmark Bill in U.S. Senate would ban Greenland annexation
A bill in the U.S. Senate would prohibit President Donald Trump's administration from annexing, occupying or otherwise controlling the territory of a NATO state without the consent of the affected ally. The bill was introduced by Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski and Democrat Jeanne Shaheen in light of the US claim to the Arctic island of Greenland, which belongs to Denmark.
14.01.2026, 08:22
SDA
It was initially unclear whether the bill had a realistic chance of being passed by a majority in the Senate and subsequently also in the House of Representatives. With regard to Trump's desire to annex Greenland, the senators stated: "Such an action would contradict the North Atlantic Treaty, weaken NATO's cohesion and undermine the Alliance's existing efforts to counter the threat posed by adversaries such as Russia and China."
The senators added: "NATO remains the most successful defense alliance in history - and its credibility rests on the shared understanding that the sovereignty of member states will be mutually respected and defended."
Republican Murkowski, who sits in the Senate for the US state of Alaska, is known for being one of Trump's few party supporters who do not shy away from a confrontation with the president.
Congress controls what the government is allowed to spend money on
The bill would prohibit the government from using funds from the Department of Defense or the State Department to take action against the territory of NATO partners. The US President has a great deal of leeway when it comes to foreign policy, but the two chambers of the US Congress have sovereignty over budgetary funds.
Due to Trump's efforts to incorporate Greenland into the USA, there is already a current bipartisan bill with the same thrust in the House of Representatives. Its chances of success were also initially unclear. The proposal was supported by more than 20 MPs.
USA and Denmark discuss Greenland in Washington today
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen wants to meet US Vice President JD Vance and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington today to discuss US claims to Greenland. Vivian Motzfeldt, the Greenlandic minister responsible for foreign policy, is also expected to attend the meeting. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 4.30 p.m. CET (10.30 a.m. local time).
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen have repeatedly stated that Greenland is not for sale and cannot be annexed by the USA.
Trump usually justifies the US claim to the strategically important island, which lies between the USA, Russia and Europe and extends far into the Arctic Circle, on the grounds of national security. However, he sometimes also refers to the Arctic island's wealth of natural resources.
