Dueling House Bills on Trump’s Greenland Plan: GOP Measure Authorizes Annexation While Democrats Seek Funding Ban
A GOP bill would authorize annexation of Greenland — including a separate proposal by a Republican lawmaker to make Greenland the 51st state — while House Democrats, led by Rep. Gabe Amo (D‑R.I.), have introduced the "NO NATO for Purchase Act" to bar U.S. actions or spending to purchase a NATO member or NATO‑protected territory. Amo’s measure, backed by more than 20 Democratic co‑sponsors and framed as "Greenland is not for sale," is a direct response to renewed Republican talk of acquiring Greenland and follows diplomatic exchanges in which Danish officials said Copenhagen and Washington still disagree over Greenland’s long‑term security and control.
📌 Key Facts
- Rep. Gabe Amo (D‑R.I.) introduced the "NO NATO for Purchase Act" to bar the U.S. from taking actions or spending funds to purchase a NATO member country or NATO‑protected territory, explicitly aimed at blocking former President Trump's Greenland proposal.
- The bill already has more than 20 House Democratic co‑sponsors, and Amo signaled additional co‑sponsors are expected.
- Amo framed the legislation on X, saying "Greenland is not for sale" and calling Trump's plan a "property boondoggle."
- The measure was filed in direct response to Trump’s renewed public insistence that "now it is time" to secure "complete and total control" of Greenland; recent meetings involving Reps. Vance and Rubio with Danish and Greenlandic officials produced no movement toward U.S. acquisition.
- Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen publicly said Denmark and the U.S. still have "different" positions on Greenland’s long‑term security and control.
📊 Relevant Data
The United States has made multiple attempts to acquire Greenland beyond the 1946 offer, including discussions in 1867 by Secretary of State William Seward following the Alaska purchase and quiet negotiations after the Civil War.
Greenland's population is approximately 56,699 as of 2024, with 89.1% identifying as Greenlandic Inuit, 7.5% Danish, and 3.4% other groups, showing slight overall growth but a 25.5% increase in foreign-born residents over the past decade.
Demographics of Greenland — Wikipedia
Greenland ranks eighth globally in rare earth element reserves with an estimated 1.5 million tons, including major deposits like Kvanefjeld and Tanbreez that are among the world's top 10, critical for technologies amid U.S.-China competition.
Climate change in Greenland causes disruptions to Inuit livelihoods, including reduced sea ice extent, increased coastal erosion, permafrost thawing, and food insecurity, affecting traditional hunting and fishing practices for the majority Inuit population.
Surviving the Thaw: Greenland's Inuit Grapple With Their Melting World — Pulitzer Center
U.S. interest in Greenland's rare earth minerals is strategically motivated to reduce dependency on China, which controls most global processing, with Greenland's deposits seen as a way to secure independent supply chains for critical technologies.
Why Greenland is the New Front in the U.S.–China Resource Rivalry — China Global South Project
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Rep. Gabe Amo, D-R.I., has introduced the 'NO NATO for Purchase Act' to bar the U.S. from taking actions or spending funds to purchase a NATO member country or NATO‑protected territory, explicitly aimed at Trump’s Greenland push.
- The bill already has more than 20 House Democratic co-sponsors, with Amo signaling more are expected.
- Amo framed the legislation on X by saying 'Greenland is not for sale' and calling Trump’s plan a 'property boondoggle.'
- The bill is a direct response to Trump’s renewed public insistence that 'now it is time' to secure 'complete and total control' of Greenland and follows recent Vance–Rubio meetings with Danish and Greenlandic officials that produced no movement toward U.S. acquisition.
- Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen publicly stated that Denmark and the U.S. still have 'different' positions on Greenland’s long‑term security and control.