Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., speaks during a press conference with the American delegation, consisting of senators and members of the House of Representatives, in Copenhagen, Denmark, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (Ida Marie Odgaard/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)
Coons, who led the delegation, underscored the lawmakers' desire to "reaffirm Congress' commitment" to Denmark, calling it one of the U.S.'s "oldest, strongest NATO allies."
"A great day leading our bipartisan delegation to Copenhagen meeting with Danish and Greenlandic officials to reaffirm Congress' commitment to one of our oldest, strongest NATO allies. In an increasingly unstable world In which our adversaries are cooperating, our alliances are more important than ever," he wrote in a post on X.
The visit comes as Trump's renewed push for the U.S. to takeover Greenland continues to draw criticism from both sides of the aisle and some of America's allies.
"That rhetoric doesn’t just undermine our bilateral relationship, it undermines the NATO alliance at a time when our adversaries seek to benefit from division," Shaheen said during a speech at the University of Copenhagen.
A "Make America Go Away" baseball cap, distributed for free by Danish artist Jens Martin Skibsted, is arranged in Sisimiut, Greenland, on March 30, 2025. (Juliette Pavy/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
TRUMP EYES ACTION ON GREENLAND, SETTING UP WHITE HOUSE FACE-OFF WITH DENMARK
Trump has insisted that the U.S. needs Greenland for purposes of national security, saying that Russia and China were eyeing the island.
During her speech at the University of Copenhagen, Shaheen argued that Trump's approach is unnecessary, saying the U.S. already has pathways to secure its interests in the Arctic.
"Anything the president might want — whether it is U.S. bases to defend against Arctic threats or critical minerals deals — the leaders of Denmark and Greenland have made clear they are happy to partner with us. So, the threats are not only unnecessary, they are also counterproductive, and they risk undermining the broader NATO Alliance in the process," Shaheen added.
Protesters take part in a demonstration to show support for Greenland in Copenhagen, Denmark, Jan. 17, 2026. (Tom Little/Reuters)
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In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, U.S. ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker pushed back against growing European backlash over Washington’s focus on Greenland after France announced new military exercises with Denmark, saying Arctic security is a core American defense interest and that Europe "has a tendency to overreact."
Americans appear divided on the idea, however, with 86% of voters nationwide saying they would oppose military action to take over Greenland, according to a Quinnipiac University poll. The survey found that voters opposed any U.S. effort to buy Greenland by a 55%–37% margin, suggesting the idea has yet to gain broad support among American voters.
Fox News Digital's Efrat Lachter and Amanda Macias contributed to this report.
Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/us-congressional-delegation-visits-denmark-amid-backlash-over-trumps-push-acquire-greenland