A Republican lawmaker said that President Donald Trump could face impeachment from his own party if he took major military action widely viewed as dangerous. Rep. Don Bacon, a Republican from Nebraska, said moving forward with a military plan to take over Greenland — an island that is part of Denmark — could “end” Trump’s presidency.
Trump has talked about wanting the United States to control Greenland. He says it is important for U.S. national security. But Denmark and most Greenlanders do not want to become part of the United States. Bacon and some other lawmakers think forcing that change by military action would be a very bad idea.
In an interview with a local Nebraska newspaper, Bacon said he and many Republicans are upset about the talk of invading Greenland. He called the idea ‘utter buffoonery.’ Bacon said if Trump went ahead with a military invasion, many Republicans might vote to impeach him.
Impeachment is a process where the House of Representatives can charge a president with wrongdoing. If the House votes to impeach, the Senate holds a trial to decide if the president should be removed from office. Trump has been impeached twice before by the House, but he was not removed from office.
Bacon said he would personally lean toward supporting impeachment if Trump tried to use force against Greenland. He added that many members of his party are worried about what such an action could do to America’s relationships with allies Denmark is a longtime partner of the United States and part of the NATO alliance.
Bacon is not seeking reelection this year, but his comments show a growing split in the Republican Party over Trump’s actions. Some Republicans have publicly disagreed with Trump on other issues, but it is rare for a member of his own party to openly discuss impeachment.
Many experts say that a military invasion of a friendly nation’s territory could have serious consequences, including diplomatic fights, economic penalties, and possible war. Polls show most Americans do not support such action.
At this point, Trump has not changed his position on Greenland. Bacon’s warning adds to the ongoing debate within Congress and across the country about how far leaders should go in foreign policy.
