By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives are rallying support for a bill aimed at initiating discussions on the potential purchase of Greenland by the United States, according to a draft of the bill shared with potential co-sponsors on Monday.
Dubbed the “Make Greenland Great Again Act,” the bill is spearheaded by Republican U.S. representatives Andy Ogles and Diana Harshbarger. As reported by Fox News Digital, the draft of the bill had garnered the backing of 10 co-sponsors as of Monday morning.
President-elect Donald Trump has expressed his desire to see Greenland become part of the United States and has not ruled out employing military or economic leverage to convince Denmark to agree to the acquisition. Following the Republican victories in the November 5 U.S. elections, the GOP now holds a narrow majority in both the House and Senate.
According to the draft of the bill, should it be passed, the President would be granted authority to commence negotiations with Denmark on January 20, coinciding with Trump’s assumption of office.
The bill’s language states, “Congress hereby authorizes the President, beginning at 12:01 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on January 20, 2025, to seek to enter into negotiations with the Kingdom of Denmark to secure the acquisition of Greenland by the United States.”
Furthermore, it stipulates that “Not later than 5 calendar days after reaching an agreement with the Kingdom of Denmark relating to the acquisition of Greenland by the United States, the President shall transmit to the appropriate congressional committees the agreement, including all related materials and annexes.”
Greenland has historically been under Danish control, first as a colony and currently as a semi-autonomous territory within the Danish realm. Any alteration to its legal status would necessitate a constitutional amendment, given that it is subject to the Danish constitution.
Prime Minister Mute Egede, a vocal proponent of Greenland’s independence, has consistently affirmed that the island is not for sale and emphasized that the decision on its future lies with its people.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
