Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., introduced legislation Monday that would grant President Donald Trump sweeping authority to annex Greenland, escalating an already heated international dispute over the strategically vital Arctic territory.
Fine announced the proposal, titled the Greenland Annexation and Statehood Act, in a social media post declaring it “huge news” and framing the move as a necessary step to protect American interests. The post included a mock image depicting a Trump Tower in Greenland and made clear that the bill is designed to empower the president to take whatever steps he deems necessary to bring the Danish territory into the United States.
According to Fine, the measure is rooted in national security concerns, particularly growing competition in the Arctic. He argued that U.S. adversaries are attempting to establish a foothold in the region and warned that allowing that to happen would pose a serious threat. Fine said acquiring Greenland would prevent rivals from controlling the Arctic, while also strengthening America’s northern defenses against Russia and China.
If enacted, the bill would explicitly authorize President Trump to pursue annexation “by any means necessary.” The text states that the president would be empowered to take steps including negotiations with the Kingdom of Denmark in order to annex or otherwise acquire Greenland as a U.S. territory. The legislation goes further by laying out a pathway to statehood, directing the president to submit proposed changes to federal law to admit Greenland as a state once it adopts a constitution that Congress deems consistent with the U.S. Constitution.
The proposal drew an immediate response from Denmark. Danish Ambassador to the United States Jesper Moller Sorensen met with Fine after the bill’s introduction and reportedly made it “abundantly clear” that Greenland belongs to Denmark.
The controversy intensified over the weekend after the Daily Mail reported that Trump had instructed special forces commanders to prepare a plan for a potential invasion of Greenland. The report came as the White House continued to publicly taunt Denmark and other European leaders over the issue.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the president’s position Monday, saying Trump believes that if the United States does not acquire Greenland, it could eventually fall under the control of China or Russia. Leavitt said the president views that outcome as dangerous not only for the United States, but also for Europe and Greenland itself.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum echoed those sentiments last week, arguing that European nations should welcome U.S. annexation of Greenland. Burgum claimed such a move would be a victory for democracies worldwide.
Denmark, however, has repeatedly told the Trump administration that Greenland is not for sale. Those refusals have prompted increasingly blunt rhetoric from Washington, including threats of taking the territory by force.
Seven European leaders issued a joint statement last week pushing back against the White House’s comments, emphasizing that Greenland belongs to its people and that decisions about its future rest solely with Denmark and Greenland. The statement was signed by leaders from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Poland, Italy, Spain, and Denmark.
Just days later, Trump doubled down, vowing to “do something” about Greenland and saying it could happen either the “nice way or the more difficult way,” signaling that the standoff is far from over.
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