Republican U.S. Sen. Katie Britt is among a growing group of Republicans who opposes military action in Greenland.
In a statement Tuesday, the senator said she doesn’t believe a military invasion authorized by President Donald Trump to seize the Danish kingdom is the right move against an ally of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Her comments break away from Trump and some members of his administration, particularly White House adviser Stephen Miller, who say military action should be considered in seizing Greenland.
“Denmark is an important NATO ally, and I do not think an invasion of Greenland or troops on the ground is in the best interest of the United States or our alliances,” Britt said in an email to AL.com.
Still, the Alabama senator said the threat China and Russia pose in the region to the U.S. is “real and growing.” She recognized the administration’s concerns that Greenland provides security for the U.S.
“Greenland offers the United States several strategic security advantages, which is what this is all about: protecting and deterring threats to America, which is always at the forefront of President Trump’s mind, as he has displayed repeatedly,” Britt said.
Her comments come as Republicans distance themselves from support of military force on an European ally. Trump, in recent days, has targeted Greenland with aggressive comments including a text message to Norway’s prime minister on Sunday that he longer thinks “purely of peace” in how to acquire Greenland because Norway did not give him a Nobel Peace Prize.
Polling also shows that military involvement to acquire Greenland is unpopular among Republicans who have long showed strong support for the president. A Quinnipiac University poll showed that only 68% of Republicans do not support military involvement. Over 95% of Democrats also oppose military action, according to the poll.
Republican Senators like Thom Tillis of North Carolina, John Thune of South Carolina, and Jerry Moran of Kansas have made statements in recent days opposing military action. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said she does not support long-term military action in Greenland without Senate authorization.
Tillis, who is not seeking re-election, has blasted Trump and his advisers who are interested in taking over Greenland. He said on the Senate floor that he was “sick of stupid.”
Republican lawmakers, in some cases, support acquiring Greenland. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, for instance, said the U.S. acquisition of Greenland would “overwhelmingly” be in the country’s best interest.
Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who is running for governor this year, said earlier Tuesday he does not believe Trump “wants to take Greenland by force.” But he also said he was uncertain why European allies were “panicking about” the notion.
Tuberville said he felt it was time “we play hardball on the people who lived off us and we helped forever.” He said the idea was to “help the American people.”
Concerns have surfaced in recent days from European countries as Trump has threatened tariffs against nations that oppose U.S. control of Greenland.
