1. United States
2. Neb.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to publicly oppose any effort by President Trump to acquire or militarily take over Greenland. On January 12, Greenland's government responded to Trump's stated ambition to take over the island by announcing it will increase efforts to ensure the Arctic territory's defense takes place under NATO auspices. This reckless proposal threatens the very foundation of our most important military alliance. EU Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius has warned that a U.S. military takeover of Greenland would end NATO. This is not hyperbole. Greenland is an autonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark, a founding NATO member and close ally. Any attempt to seize territory from a democratic ally would shatter the trust and mutual defense commitments that have kept Europe and North America secure for 75 years. The Greenland coalition government has made clear that all NATO member states, including the United States, already have a common interest in defending Greenland through existing alliance structures. There is no security justification for ownership. Trump's claim that the United States must own Greenland to prevent Russia or China from occupying it ignores the fact that NATO membership already provides this protection. Former Russian president Medvedev's January 12 suggestion that Greenland could vote to join Russia if Trump doesn't act quickly demonstrates how adversaries are exploiting this chaos to undermine Western unity. Russia benefits when the United States alienates democratic allies and destabilizes NATO. I ask that you make a public statement opposing any U.S. acquisition of Greenland and reaffirming our commitment to NATO and the sovereignty of our Danish allies. The strategic location and mineral wealth of Greenland do not justify abandoning the principles that have made America a trusted partner to democracies worldwide.