7:50Personnel from the German Bundeswehr board an Icelandair flight departing Nuuk airport for Reykjavik on January 18, 2026, in Nuuk, Greenland. U.S. President Donald Trump intensified his efforts to obtain Greenland, threatening various European nations with tariffs of up to 25 percent until his acquisition of the Danish territory is realized.Alessandro Rampazzo/AFP via Getty Images
Republican Rep. Michael McCaul cautioned on Sunday that any U.S. military action to secure Greenland would position America against its NATO partners — and could potentially signal the end of the alliance itself.
"What do you think about what’s happening with the president in Greenland? And he has now imposed tariffs on eight of our European allies; he is not excluding military action to acquire Greenland. What is happening?" "This Week" co-anchor Jonathan Karl inquired of McCaul, who holds the title of chairman emeritus of both the House Foreign Affairs and Homeland Security committees.
While McCaul recognized the strategic relevance of the self-governing island, which is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and mentioned that previous Presidents have contemplated acquiring the territory, he asserted that the U.S. possesses a treaty that grants "full access" to safeguard Greenland — effectively undermining the rationale for any invasion.
"The reality is, the president has complete military access to Greenland to shield us from any threat," McCaul stated. "So if he wishes to buy Greenland, that’s one matter. However, for him to militarily invade would completely overturn Article 5 of NATO and essentially initiate a war with NATO itself. It would ultimately lead to the dissolution of NATO as we know it."
Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, appears on ABC News’ “This Week” on Jan. 18, 2026.ABC News
McCaul continued, "If we want to increase our military presence there, we can; we do not have to invade. If he desires to purchase it, that’s acceptable. But I don’t currently see a willing seller."
Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen reiterated McCaul’s sentiment on "This Week," accusing the president of "lying" when he claims that acquiring Greenland is a matter of national security.
"Denmark and Greenland have both communicated to the United States, ‘You can take whatever actions you deem necessary to ensure the security of the United States and, of course, the NATO alliance,’" Van Hollen remarked. "We already have a base there, and we can expand that base."
"This is not related to security," Van Hollen told Karl. "This is about a land acquisition. Donald Trump wants to seize the minerals and other resources of Greenland, just like the actual motive for his involvement in Venezuela had little to do with combating drug trafficking."
When asked if Congress could take any measures to prevent Trump from utilizing force to seize Greenland, Van Hollen urged Congress to invoke the War Powers Resolution.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., appears on ABC News’ “This Week” on Jan. 18, 2026.ABC News
"We could, for instance, restrict any funding that might be allocated for military purposes concerning Greenland; we could take measures under the War Powers Resolution," Van Hollen stated. "However, many of our Republican colleagues talk a big game until it comes time to cast their votes. We witnessed that just last week, where two Republican senators who had voted in favor of advancing the War Powers Resolution on Venezuela retreated. They need to stop providing Donald Trump with a blank check."
Van Hollen also criticized Trump’s threats of military intervention in Iran amid reports that thousands of protesters have died during demonstrations against the regime.
"I don’t believe we should employ American
Sourse: abcnews.go.com