Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.

Two US lawmakers have introduced legislation that seeks to prevent the Trump administration from using military or diplomatic means to seize control of Greenland.

Some shit you should know before you dig in: Shortly after President Trump returned to office, he began calling for Greenland to become part of the United States, citing a mix of strategic, economic, and national security reasons. Trump has argued that as Arctic ice continues to melt, new trade routes are opening through the region that geopolitical rivals like China and Russia could exploit. He has openly warned that without US control or influence in Greenland, the area risks becoming militarized by foreign powers (specifically China and Russia), threatening global stability and American interests. Trump has also highlighted the island’s vast reserves of rare earth materials and the need to install advanced early warning systems in the Arctic to monitor potential missile threats. These proposals have repeatedly angered many in Greenland, where there’s strong support for independence from Denmark and little interest in joining the United States.

What’s going on now: In a notable development, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska teamed up with Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire to introduce the NATO Unity Protection Act, legislation designed to block any attempt by the Trump administration to use federal resources to take control of Greenland. The bill would prohibit the use of Department of Defense or Department of State funds to “blockade, occupy, annex or otherwise assert control over the sovereign territory of a NATO member state,” a provision clearly aimed at Greenland, which is governed by Denmark. Murkowski said the proposal is meant to draw a hard legal line against even entertaining such actions, warning that “the mere notion that America would use our vast resources against our allies is deeply troubling and must be wholly rejected by Congress in statute.”

The legislation also affirms that NATO is critical to US national security and that any occupation or takeover of a NATO ally’s territory would violate both the U.N. Charter and the North Atlantic Treaty. Lawmakers backing the bill argue that, regardless of rhetoric coming from the White House, Congress must prevent the executive branch from using funding to escalate threats or actions against allies. Murkowski framed the measure as a safeguard for the alliance itself, stressing that using force or coercion against a NATO partner would undermine the very foundation of collective defense.

At the same time, other lawmakers, particularly Republicans, are pushing in the opposite direction. Representative Randy Fine of Florida introduced legislation that would authorize President Trump to “take whatever steps necessary to annex or acquire Greenland,” potentially making it the 51st US state. Fine described Greenland as “a vital national security asset,” arguing that “whoever controls Greenland controls key Arctic shipping lanes and the security architecture protecting the United States.”