Republican Rep. Michael McCaul warned on Sunday that any U.S. navy intervention to acquire Greenland would put America at odds with its NATO allies — and presumably spell the tip of the alliance itself.
“What do you make of what is going on on with the president in Greenland? And now he is slapped tariffs on eight of our allies in Europe; he isn’t ruling out navy drive to get Greenland. What’s going on?” “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl requested McCaul, who serves as chairman emeritus of each the Home International Affairs and Homeland Safety committees.
Whereas McCaul acknowledged the strategic significance of the autonomous island, which is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and famous that earlier Presidents have thought-about buying the territory, he mentioned the U.S. already has a treaty that permits “full entry” to guard Greenland — successfully negating the aim of any invasion.
“The actual fact is, the president has full navy entry to Greenland to guard us from any risk,” McCaul mentioned. “So if he needs to buy Greenland, that is one factor. However for him to militarily invade would flip Article 5 of NATO on its very head and, in essence, press a battle with NATO itself. It might find yourself abolishing NATO as we all know it.”
Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, seems on ABC Information’ “This Week” on Jan. 18, 2026.
ABC Information
McCaul added, “If we wish to put extra navy in there, we are able to; we do not have to invade it. If he needs to purchase it, that is superb. However I do not see a keen vendor proper now.”
Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen echoed McCaul’s level on “This Week,” and accused the president of “mendacity” when he says acquiring Greenland is about nationwide safety.
“Denmark and Greenland have each mentioned to the USA, ‘You possibly can take what measures you must shield the safety of the USA and, after all, the NATO alliance,'” Van Hollen mentioned. “We now have a base there already, and we are able to develop that base.”
“This isn’t about safety,” Van Hollen advised Karl. “That is a couple of land seize. Donald Trump needs to get his arms on the minerals and different assets of Greenland, similar to the actual purpose he went into Venezuela had nothing to do with stopping medication from coming.”
Requested if there was any motion that Congress may take to forestall Trump from utilizing drive to take over Greenland, Van Hollen referred to as on Congress to invoke the Conflict Powers Decision.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., seems on ABC Information’ “This Week” on Jan. 18, 2026.
ABC Information
“We may, for instance, lower off any funds that might be used for navy functions with respect to Greenland; we may take motion below the Conflict Powers Decision,” Van Hollen mentioned. “However plenty of our Republican colleagues speak massive till it comes time to vote. We noticed that simply this previous week, the place two Republican senators who had voted in favor of shifting ahead the Conflict Powers Decision on Venezuela backed off. In order that they need to cease giving Donald Trump a clean examine.”
Van Hollen additionally criticized Trump’s threats to intervene militarily in Iran amid experiences that hundreds of protesters have been killed in demonstrations in opposition to the nation’s regime.
“I do not imagine we needs to be utilizing American navy drive to attempt to impose democracy on Iran,” Van Hollen mentioned.
“We should always help the protesters,” he added. “However the president of United States shouldn’t counsel that we will are available in there and supply navy help to eliminate the regime.”
