Sen. Mark Kelly criticized President Donald Trump on Saturday for threatening tariffs on U.S. allies over Greenland, calling the move “damaging our reputation and our relationships” and warning it could leave the country isolated in a dangerous global environment.
“Troops from European countries are arriving in Greenland to defend the territory from us. Let that sink in,” Kelly wrote in a social media post, referring to the recent deployment of Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, and other NATO forces to Greenland for Arctic security exercises. “And now Trump is setting tariffs on our allies, making you pay more to try to get territory we don’t need. The damage this President is doing to our reputation and our relationships is growing, making us less safe.”
Kelly also called on congressional Republicans to intervene. “If something doesn’t change we will be on our own with adversaries and enemies in every direction. Republicans in Congress need to stand up to Trump,” he added.
The senator, a retired astronaut, has previously faced public legal disputes with United States Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth over claims about his military service, giving him a high-profile platform to push back against what he sees as misrepresentations and attacks on national security. His criticism of Trump’s Greenland strategy taps into broader concerns among lawmakers about the diplomatic and economic fallout of unilateral U.S. actions in Europe and the Arctic.
Trump’s announcement threatened tariffs ranging from 10% to 25% on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the U.K., the Netherlands, and Finland unless Greenland is sold to the United States. The president also mocked Greenland’s defenses, claiming the island “currently has two dogsleds as protection, one added recently,” while framing the Arctic territory as vital to U.S. and global security.
The threat has prompted strong pushback from prominent European leaders, including Kaja Kallas, Emmanuel Macron, Ursula von der Leyen, and others, as well as protests in Greenland and Denmark. Thousands of demonstrators marched on Jan. 17, carrying banners reading “Greenland is not for sale” and voicing opposition to U.S. annexation efforts.
Kelly’s comments reinforce a growing chorus of U.S. lawmakers concerned that the president’s tactics could undermine NATO, destabilize alliances, and weaken the U.S. position on key global security issues.
