Republicans Consider Trump's Greenland Acquisition Proposal

A small but growing group of Republicans in Congress is expressing openness to President Trump’s increasingly explicit push to acquire Greenland, along with his desire to punish European allies who resist the idea. In the days since Mr. Trump began musing openly about taking over the semiautonomous island territory, which is currently controlled by Denmark, many Republican lawmakers have issued vocal warnings against a push to annex Greenland, arguing that it would dangerously divide the United States’ closest allies. But with the president stepping up his threats and showing no sign of backing down, Republicans across the ideological spectrum are increasingly finding ways to defend or justify his threats — or embrace them altogether. During an address to Britain’s Parliament in London on Tuesday, Speaker Mike Johnson, Republican of Louisiana, said he had spoken “at length” with Mr. Trump and framed his visit as an effort to “encourage our friends and help to calm the waters.” Mr. Johnson, the first American House speaker to address Britain’s Parliament, did not mention Greenland by name or address the issue directly during his speech, which sought to emphasize the strength of the U.S.-U.K. relationship. But the speaker, who has marched in lock-step with Mr. Trump on almost every issue, implicitly backed the president’s argument that the territory is vital to the national security of the United States. He also urged British lawmakers and other allies in Europe to support the president’s efforts to maintain “strategic strongholds around the world,” citing threats from China and Russia and singling out the Arctic, as Mr. Trump has in recent weeks, as an area of focus. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.