Synopsis: Senator Rand Paul has publicly opposed any military action to acquire Greenland, stating, “It won’t happen under my watch,” despite President Trump’s administration keeping the military option on the table.
-While Paul supports purchasing the island through diplomacy—citing historical precedents like the Louisiana Purchase—he joined other senators in passing a War Powers Resolution on January 8 to prevent a forced takeover.
-The standoff highlights a clash between Paul’s libertarian realism and the White House’s aggressive “Donroe Doctrine,” which seeks dominance in the Western Hemisphere through actions in Venezuela and the Arctic.
‘Insulting Your Opponent’: Rand Paul Warns Against Trump’s Aggressive Greenland Strategy
I used to live in Kentucky, and I have family there.
Some voters in the poverty-stricken state are often worried that U.S. Senator Rand Paul does not care about the social safety net from government programs.
That may be an unfair charge, but the libertarian is not enamored of big government and prefers that churches, social groups, and nonprofits fill the gaps necessary to help low-income people.
Paul also has curious beliefs about foreign policy and favors a particular brand of isolationism and the avoidance of foreign entanglements – especially wars.
That is why he is concerned about President Donald Trump’s policy in Venezuela and Greenland.
Trump famously ordered Operation Absolute Resolve – the mission in Venezuela to extricate narco-terrorist supreme leader Nicolas Maduro and bring him and his wife to justice in the United States.
Paul is worried about an open-ended U.S. military commitment in the economically struggling South American country.
Paul is Against the Military Option in Greenland
Paul also does not want the United States to send troops to annex Greenland. Trump, on the other hand, believes the island is important to U.S. national interests. It is in a critical location that has seen naval activity from Russia, China, and Canada who think that it is the gateway to the Arctic.
Greenland is also rich in rare-earth minerals used in technological applications across consumer goods and military hardware.
This week, Paul was agitated about the potential use of armed force in Greenland. “It won’t happen under my watch,” Paul said on the CBS Mornings program about an action against the island. “I will do everything to stop any kind of military takeover of Greenland.”
B-52 Bomber. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
A B-2 Spirit assigned to Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., receives fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker, Feb 7, 2021. A B-2 Spirit performed alongside a B-1B Lancer and a B-52 Stratofortress for the Super Bowl LV flyover on Feb. 7, 2021. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class David D. McLoney)
A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress conducts a combat air patrol in support of Operation Inherent Resolve over the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Nov. 23, 2024. The deployment of the long-range heavy bombers into the USCENTCOM theater demonstrates the United States’ dedication to deterring aggression and maintaining stability in the region alongside allies and partners. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Paul Believes It Is Time to Tap on the Brakes
Paul was one of the senators on the Foreign Relations Committee who supported a War Powers Resolution to prevent Trump from ordering an armed forces operation in Greenland.
Trump’s national security team wants to keep all options on the table with Greenland, and they believe that purchasing the island from Denmark is the best way to advance the Arctic strategy in the region.
Other Senate Republicans voted down the measure at first, but it passed the chamber on January 8.
White House Claims Military Force Is Still on the Table
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt explained that President Trump’s interest in Greenland is significant and that he and his foreign policy staffers are “discussing a range of options to pursue this important … goal, and of course, utilizing the U.S. military is always an option at the commander-in-chief’s disposal,” Leavitt remarked.
Secretary of State Rubio Might Make a Lucrative Purchase Offer
Secretary of State Marco Rubio was less aggressive in his comments this week and said he would meet with Denmark’s leaders and make an offer to buy Greenland.
Interestingly, Senator Paul is in favor of a territory purchase and noted that the United States has conducted extensive land purchases in its history.
“Half of the United States came to us through the Louisiana Purchase,” Paul noted. “Alaska came to us through a purchase. But you didn’t get to those purchases like any deal or diplomacy by insulting your opponent. You get there by actually trying to please and get your opponent to agree to this, because it would have to be done voluntarily,” Paul said.
Paul makes a solid point while others have shot down the Greenland idea as unnecessary U.S. posturing at the expense of an ally.
Denmark Is Hopping Mad
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has said that a U.S. military action against Denmark would be an end to NATO and that the island is not for sale.
She also claimed the Danes could fight back against a U.S. attack. Greenland’s residents are not keen on an American takeover of their home island either, although some want more independence from Denmark.
I’m in favor of purchasing Greenland. In my last book on foreign policy in 2024, I had a chapter devoted to the importance of America focusing on the Western Hemisphere. The move against Maduro is good news, and Greenland is strategic for its location and natural resources.
I do not support an invasion or the use of U.S. boots on the ground in Venezuela or Greenland, though.
The United States should have learned from the costly forever wars in Iraq and Afghanistan by now.
(Dec. 7, 2024) LT Steven Holcomb, attached to the Gunslingers of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 105, operates a F/A-18E Super Hornet on the flight deck during flight operations, Dec. 7, 2024. USS George H.W. Bush is in the basic phase of the Optimized Fleet Response Plan conducting flight deck certification.(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Jayden Brown)
A ‘Restrained’ U.S. Grand Strategy
Meanwhile, Paul is articulating a foreign policy of restraint and realism that some Republicans and Democrats are leaning toward.
That is to limit U.S. foreign relations adventurism and stick to domestic policies.
Other Trump supporters also point out that America First should be about helping the citizens of the United States, over aggressive foreign policy that could stretch the country too thin.
However, public opinion polls have shown a strong majority of Republicans have supported Trump’s policy in Venezuela. Most Americans are against military action to take Greenland, a recent survey from YouGuv concluded, with 73 percent of people favoring a hands-off approach to the island.
Trump is undeterred. While the military option would be a low-probability event, Trump prefers a smorgasbord of defense policies to choose from and does not want to be hemmed in or constrained by just a few options when it comes to deploying troops or other interventions. Dominance of the Western Hemisphere is also a strong focus in the White House’s National Security Strategy.
Is the Donroe Doctrine a Winner?
Congress and the American people may not be fully on board with the so-called “Donroe Doctrine” – a play on the Monroe Doctrine, but Trump has made his policy about the Western Hemisphere clear, and senators like Rand Paul may be disappointed that the president’s national security team is so determined in this regard. Objections by Members of Congress may not stop the president.
About the Author: Brent M. Eastwood
Author of now over 3,000 articles on defense issues, Brent M. Eastwood, PhD is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for US Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former US Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.
