Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) warned that any U.S. military move to seize Greenland would amount to a declaration of war against NATO, arguing that the United States already has sweeping defense rights on the island under a long-standing treaty with Denmark.
McCaul Warns Greenland Invasion Would Trigger NATO Article 5
On Sunday, speaking on ABC’s This Week, McCaul, the former chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, pushed back on President Donald Trump’s repeated refusal to rule out using force to acquire Greenland, a territory of Denmark, a NATO ally.
“For him to militarily invade would turn Article Five of NATO on its very head, and in essence, put us at war with NATO itself,” McCaul said.
He added, “It would end up abolishing NATO as we know it.”
McCaul stressed that a military takeover is unnecessary because the US already enjoys extensive access to Greenland under a 1951 defense agreement signed after World War II.
“The fact is, the president has full military access to Greenland to protect us from any threats,” McCaul said.
“If we want to put more military in there, we can. We don’t have to invade it.“
He added that while past U.S. presidents have floated the idea of purchasing Greenland, there is no indication that the Danish or Greenlandic governments are willing to sell.
“If he wants to buy it, that’s fine,” McCaul said. “But I don’t see a willing seller right now.”
Europe United Against Greenland Threats
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron said they are united in defending Greenland’s sovereignty and supporting the Kingdom of Denmark.
Von der Leyen said she spoke with NATO and European heads of state and emphasized Europe will protect its strategic economic and security interests with solidarity and resolve.
Macron echoed the message, stressing that national sovereignty and the UN Charter guide France’s actions, including participation in Denmark’s military exercise in Greenland for Arctic security.
He condemned intimidation and tariff threats and said Europe will respond in a coordinated manner to uphold sovereignty.
EU, GOP lawmakers Push Back On Trump’s Greenland tariffs
Republican senators criticized President Trump’s new tariffs on Denmark and other European allies, saying the move could fracture NATO and benefit adversaries.
Last week, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) called the tariffs “bad” and said they would help Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) called them “punitive” and urged Congress to reclaim tariff authority.
Trump had escalated his push for U.S. control of Greenland, saying he might use tariffs to pressure countries that oppose the idea.
European lawmakers said they would block approval of a major EU-U.S. trade deal in response to Trump’s threats.
The European People’s Party said it could no longer support the agreement and called for plans to lower U.S. tariffs to be put on hold, escalating tensions over the Greenland dispute.
Photo Courtesy: stock_photo_world on Shutterstock.com
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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