Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., said on Wednesday that if President Donald Trump were to acquire Greenland by military force “it would be the end of his presidency.”
“I’ll be candid with you: There’s so many Republicans mad about this,” Bacon told the Omaha World-Herald. “If he went through with the threats, I think it would be the end of his presidency. And he needs to know: the off-ramp is realizing Republicans aren’t going to tolerate this, and he’s going to have to back off. He hates being told no, but in this case, I think Republicans need to be firm.”
Bacon’s office confirmed to The Daily Signal his belief that some Republicans would vote to impeach Trump, but declined to comment further.
Bacon, however, declined to tell the Omaha World-Herald if he would be one of the Republicans to vote for Trump’s impeachment. Nevertheless, he reportedly said he would strongly consider it.
“I don’t want to give you a definite yes or no, but I would lean that way,” Bacon told the Omaha World-Herald. “It would be a total mistake to invade an ally. It would be catastrophic to our allies and everything. It’s just the worst idea ever in my view.”
Legislation To Block Trump’s Greenland Hopes
Trump has continued to talk publicly about a U.S. takeover of Greenland, which is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.
Bacon has sided with Democrats on the Greenland issue recently. He sided with House Democrats to introduce legislation that would restrict Trump from acquiring Greenland through force.
The bill, titled the No Funds for NATO Invasion Act, would prohibit the use of federal funds to invade any NATO member state, including Greenland, and bar any American officer or employee from “taking any action to execute” an invasion.
His legislation would make clear to foreign powers that Congress believes “it is unacceptable to invade the territory of an ally of the United States,” Bacon wrote in a joint statement with Reps. Bill Keating, D-Mass., Steny Hoyer, D-Md., and Brendan Boyle, D-Pa.
The bill’s sponsors did not reply to The Daily Signal’s request for comment.
“We must cease the inflammatory rhetoric, work together to take advantage of our shared opportunities, and, most importantly, to counter the real threats from those who do not share our values,” the members added.
In the upper chamber, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, joined Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., to introduce a similar bill, the NATO Unity Parity Act.
“This bill sends a clear message that recent rhetoric around Greenland deeply undermines America’s own national security interests and faces bipartisan opposition in Congress,” Murkowski said in a statement.
Murkowski and Shaheen did not respond to requests for comment.
If her legislation passes, Murkowski’s bill could counter other Republican legislation that has been introduced to give the president any and all resources and approval necessary to acquire Greenland.
House Member Looks To Help Trump’s Greenland Ambitions
Freshman legislator Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., told The Daily Signal that he introduced the Greenland Annexation and Statehood Act on Monday because he wants to facilitate the president’s execution of his foreign policy agenda, calling the possible annexation of Greenland a “priority” to American national security interests.
“I want to support President Trump, if he wants to acquire Greenland because of a national security concern, I am going to help him achieve that in Congress,” Fine said.
“I think there’s no question that Greenland is a priority. As trade routes open up, giving access to China and Russia is not a good idea. Trump is looking to prevent another Venezuela,” Fine added.
The legislation requires the president to submit a report to Congress, a report of any changes to Federal law, “as the President may determine necessary to admit the newly acquired territory as a State.”
Fine expects his legislation to face pushback from Democrats, the Kingdom of Denmark, NATO allies, and even some Republicans.
Those who dislike Trump “will push back on anything he says or does. They will oppose a bill to cancer because it leaves the people at the morgue without a job,” Fine said.
Fine declined to comment on Bacon’s statements.
