Hoyer Statement Ahead of the Senate Hearing on Greenland

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) released the following statement today ahead of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing on Greenland:

"Denmark has been one of America's closest allies, trading partners, and friends for generations. Donald Trump's desire to annex the autonomous Danish territory of Greenland, through possible economic coercion or military force, is absurd. An attack on Greenland is an attack on NATO. Greenland is not for sale.

"J.D. Vance's recent comment that Denmark 'has not done its job and is not being a good ally' regarding Greenland is uninformed and absolutely wrong. Our nations agree on the island's strategic significance in maintaining our mutual security in the Arctic region and have had an agreement providing for its defense since 1951. In accordance with that agreement, Denmark and Greenland have welcomed our military presence on their island and accommodated all increases in personnel and expansions to our military facilities.

“The Danes have also made it clear that they are open to an even greater U.S. presence in the future and to investing more of their own resources into the region as well. Our continued cooperation in Greenland is especially vital today as we seek to counter Russia and China from building infrastructure and expanding influence in the Arctic.

"We can have a legitimate conversation about what more our countries can do to work together in Greenland. Threatening one of our closest NATO allies with the annexation of part of its Commonwealth, however, serves no one but Russia, China, and other enemies of democracy who like to see the free world divided. Democracies do not participate in conquest, and suggesting that we ought to seize land lends legitimacy to dictators who try to redraw borders by force. As a proud Danish-American and founder and co-chair of the Friends of Denmark Caucus, I will continue working to advance our two nations' cooperation in Greenland and beyond."