Florida Republican Congressman Randy Fine has ignited a political firestorm with his announcement of a bill designed to empower former President Donald Trump to annex Greenland for the United States.
The Controversial Legislative Proposal
On Monday, January 12, 2026, Representative Fine took to the social media platform X to declare he was "proud to introduce the Greenland Annexation and Statehood Act." The proposed legislation, he stated, would allow the president to find the necessary means to bring the vast, self-governing Arctic territory into the American union.
Fine justified the radical move by citing national security concerns in the Far North. "Let me be clear, our adversaries are trying to establish a foothold in the Arctic, and we can't let that happen," he wrote. Echoing a long-held talking point of Donald Trump, Fine argued that acquiring Greenland would prevent rivals like Russia and China from controlling the region and secure the northern flank of the United States.
Accompanying his post was a provocative image: a photoshopped vision of a Trump-branded skyscraper towering over a traditional Greenlandic village, with Trump himself superimposed into the scene.
Immediate and Fierce Backlash
The reaction from critics, analysts, and international observers was swift and overwhelmingly negative. Many pointed out that both Greenland and its sovereign parent nation, the Kingdom of Denmark, have repeatedly and firmly rejected past overtures from Trump to purchase the island.
More critically, experts warned that any attempt to unilaterally seize the territory would constitute an act of aggression against a NATO ally. Denmark is a founding member of the military alliance, and Greenland, as an autonomous part of the kingdom, falls under its protective umbrella, including the crucial Article 5 mutual defence clause.
Danish politician Rasmus Jarlov responded directly on X, stating, "If you succeed in this, your adversaries will be in control of Europe. I dont think you understand the enormous negative consequences of what you are trying to do."
Other vocal criticisms included:
- Accusations of betraying an ally: One user noted the move was "an attempt at annexing an ally country that you swore to defend under NATO."
- Comparisons to Russia: Commentators drew parallels between Fine's proposal and actions by members of Russia's Duma, eager to please President Vladimir Putin with expansionist legislation.
- Highlighting local opposition: Critics emphasized that polls have shown approximately 97% of Greenland's population opposes coming under American control.
- Pointing out hypocrisy: Some observers sarcastically noted that the strategic rationale for acquiring Arctic territory relies on the reality of climate change, a phenomenon Trump has frequently denied.
Broader Implications and a History of Provocation
The proposal places a stark spotlight on the ongoing geopolitical competition in the Arctic, where melting ice is opening new shipping routes and access to resources. However, Fine's method of addressing these strategic concerns has been widely condemned as reckless and damaging to transatlantic relations.
Randy Fine is no stranger to controversy, having made a series of inflammatory remarks in the past. Political analyst Ian Bremmer characterized the congressman's move as demonstrating the "most maga member of congress as defined by willingness to do whatever president trump wants."
The bill, while unlikely to pass in its current form, has succeeded in straining diplomatic nerves and raising profound questions about the future of international norms and alliance politics. As one critic starkly warned on social media, such actions could ultimately mean "Welcome to war with Europe."
