U.S. Congressional Delegation Visits Danish ParliamentDiscussions Held on Cooperation Between Denmark, Greenland, and the United States

Source: Reuters, Danish Parliament
Royal Danish Correspondent: Peng Zhongmin
Photo Credit: Zhong Min Peng / RP©

At 2:00 p.m. on Friday, January 16, a delegation from the United States Congress met with members of the Danish Parliament and the Greenland Foreign and Security Policy Committee at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen. The talks focused on cooperation between Denmark, Greenland, and the United States.

The meeting aimed to express the U.S. Congress’s support for the Kingdom of Denmark and to explore how to further strengthen trilateral cooperation “on the basis of mutual respect for sovereignty and the principle of self-determination.”

Discussions centered on foreign and security policy issues of major importance to the Kingdom of Denmark as a whole, to Greenland, and to transatlantic relations.

Following the meeting, a brief press conference was held at 3:00 p.m., during which media representatives posed questions to the delegates.
U.S. Side Signals Stability in Alliance Relations

The visit took place against a backdrop of heightened political tension. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly reiterated his desire to “own Greenland,” drawing significant attention and concern from Denmark and its NATO allies.

The congressional delegation was led by Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware. Coons stated:

“At a time of growing international instability, we need to stand closer to our allies rather than push them away. This visit sends a clear message: the U.S. Congress firmly supports NATO and its alliance system.”

The delegation included members from both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. During their visit to Christiansborg, they held in-depth discussions with the Greenland Foreign and Security Policy Committee and Danish lawmakers from across the political spectrum on cooperation between Greenland, Denmark, and the United States.
Academic Perspective: An Attempt to Ease Tensions Caused by Trump’s Remarks

Niels Bjerre-Poulsen, Associate Professor of American Studies at the University of Southern Denmark, commented:

“We can expect these members of Congress to acknowledge that some of the president’s actions are deviating from established norms. They are also well aware that, within the United States, Trump’s threatening rhetoric toward Greenland, Denmark, and other regions enjoys very limited support.”

He believes the primary purpose of the visit is to send a signal to the Danish government and other NATO countries:

“They want to show that the United States has changed, and at the same time to ease tensions by conveying that Congress can, to a certain extent, act as a counterbalance to the president.”

High-Level Contacts and Delegation List

Earlier this week, on Wednesday, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Greenland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Motzfeldt met with several U.S. senators, including Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski, who was also part of the Copenhagen delegation.

The Greenland Foreign and Security Policy Committee released the final list of participants as follows:

Chris Coons, Democratic Senator, Delaware

Thom Tillis, Republican Senator

Jeanne Shaheen, Democratic Senator

Dick Durbin, Democratic Senator

Gregory Meeks, Democratic Member of the House of Representatives

Madeleine Dean, Democratic Member of the House of Representatives

Sara Jacobs, Democratic Member of the House of Representatives

Lisa Murkowski, Republican Senator

Arctic Military Exercises Draw Attention

U.S. participation in military exercises in Greenland at this time would carry significant symbolic weight.

According to Anders Lomholt, defense correspondent for Danish TV 2, Arctic Command Chief Søren Andersen confirmed that Denmark has invited the United States to take part in military exercises in Greenland. However, U.S. participation in the near term is considered unlikely, despite the fact that joint Danish-U.S. exercises in Greenland are not unusual.

Lomholt noted that this reality does not fully align with Trump’s claim that Denmark is “incapable of managing Greenland.”
NATO Joint Operations and Public Demonstrations

On Friday, several aircraft—including Hercules transport planes—landed in Greenland carrying soldiers from multiple European NATO countries in preparation for upcoming joint military exercises.

Analysts believe this is no coincidence:

“These actions are intended to demonstrate that Greenland’s defense is not solely a Danish matter, but a collective issue for NATO as a whole.”

Meanwhile, demonstrations were announced in cities including Copenhagen, Aalborg, and Odense. According to Danish national broadcaster KNR, protest banners read: “Our land, our freedom, our voice.”
Military Exercises Continue in Southeastern Greenland