US Senators Seek Vote to Curb Trump on Greenland

(Patria) - U.S. Democratic and Republican senators said on Wednesday they expect the Senate to eventually vote on legislation seeking to curb President Donald Trump from attempting to seize Greenland from Denmark, a long-time U.S. ally, Reuters reported.

Trump has in recent days reiterated he wants to take control of the Arctic island. On Saturday, the U.S. caused international consternation by sending special forces to arrest Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, raising questions about whether he planned further such actions.

"You will see war powers resolutions introduced for Cuba, for Mexico, for Colombia, for Nigeria, for Greenland," said Senator Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia, who has led several resolutions seeking to prevent the use of military force by U.S. presidents without congressional approval.

"I just don't know who will necessarily lead all of them, because I will probably be at least a co-sponsor, and probably lead some," Kaine told reporters at a news conference ahead of a Senate vote expected on Thursday on whether to halt further military action in Venezuela without lawmakers' approval.

Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, a co-sponsor of the Venezuela resolution, said he would "remain open-minded" about whether he would support such resolutions.

Paul added that he had not heard any Republican colleagues express support for military action to take Greenland. He called such threats unproductive if the administration wants to buy the mineral-rich Arctic island.

"If I wanted to buy Greenland I would hold PR events there, I would shower them with gifts, I would talk to the people of Greenland about how they could be part of the United States and have their independence. That there would be great benefits to being under our defense umbrella, and also economic benefits," Paul said.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters in the Senate earlier on Wednesday that he would meet with Danish leaders next week to discuss Greenland, but he did not signal backing down from Trump's goal of taking over the island, while allies including France and Germany, were unnerved and working on a plan for how to respond.
Citing the constitution that only Congress, not the president, has the right to declare war, Kaine, Paul and other lawmakers have repeatedly tried and failed in recent months to pass resolutions to prevent Trump from attacking Venezuela without congressional approval.