STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
We have reached Senator Chris Coons in Davos, Switzerland. He went there for the World Economic Forum after leading a bipartisan congressional delegation to Copenhagen, Denmark. Senator, welcome back.
CHRIS COONS: Thanks, Steve. Great to be on with you.
INSKEEP: How, if at all, do you propose to change the discussion here?
COONS: Well, look, first is to bring back home some of the reality - the truth on the ground that our bipartisan delegation heard over two days of meetings in Denmark. We met with both Danish and Greenlandic leaders - prime minister, foreign minister, defense minister, parliamentarians, business leaders. And in response to a few simple questions, they said there is no threat to Greenland now from Russia and from China. The only threat is from us. They would welcome us investing in and partnering in more Arctic security, and they would welcome us working with them to develop Greenland's resources. We have a close 225-year-old alliance and partnership with Denmark. Everything that Trump wants to achieve in Greenland we can achieve by just asking. Trying to seize Greenland through threats of force or threats of tariffs is risking blowing up the NATO alliance or a tariff trade war with the EU. Trump is bluntly risking everything for nothing.
INSKEEP: Well, let's talk about that. The president in an interview with The New York Times some days back said that it was psychologically important to him to actually own the territory. Just getting the substance of everything the United States wants is not enough for him - psychologically important to own it as a real estate guy. What do you make of that?
COONS: Frankly, that's nuts. The idea that his psychological well-being ought to be the basis for trying to acquire a territory that is mostly rock and ice, three times the size of Texas but incredibly remote with a very harsh environment. We have one military base there now that's critical to our security. Forcing its acquisition risks blowing up the NATO security treaty that has kept the peace in Europe and protected the United States for 75 years. The Danes are alarmed and outraged. One of the hardest moments of our bipartisan visit to Denmark was when we laid a wreath at the memorial to the Danes who served and fought and died alongside Americans in Afghanistan and Iraq. We should not risk ending these critical partnerships and alliances over nothing more than a piece on Donald Trump's mental risk board.
INSKEEP: I want to ask how much Congress can really do about this, though. I realize you were part of a bipartisan delegation that visited Denmark. Lisa Murkowski was with you. Thom Tillis of North Carolina was with you. And yet, if we look at congressional actions over the past year, it is not hard to see a pattern unfolding. Some Republicans express some concern but never quite enough to get to 51 to reject whatever it is the president wants. Democrats express grave concern, as you're doing, and ultimately Congress does nothing, and taxpayers who pay for Congress get nothing whatsoever from your advice. Do you think it may work out that way this time?
COONS: Look, my hope is that President Trump will walk this back when he confronts European leaders, both elected and economic - the CEOs who are here at this meeting, the world leaders who are here at this meeting - who are saying to him, there are huge costs to us if he goes ahead. And there's a series of bills that have been introduced in both the House and Senate that would overturn Trump's tariff authority that he's using to threaten a NATO ally or that would bring up a war powers resolution. But, Steve, I understand why folks are skeptical, given that far too few of my Republican colleagues so far have stepped up in moments like this. But this one calls for us to act and act clearly in America's best interests.
INSKEEP: Is this another occasion where you would say that your Republican colleagues privately believe the president is on the wrong track but publicly are unwilling to stand against him?
COONS: Well, not just my colleagues. Seventy-five percent of Americans think this is not the right thing to do. Delawareans call and ask me all the time about health care costs, housing costs, the costs of daily living. They'd like to see members of Congress and our president focus less on foreign adventures and more focused on dealing with the issues that they're concerned about day in and day out.
INSKEEP: Just very briefly, would you agree that there is a major national security interest in Greenland - we've got about 20 seconds - for the United States?
COONS: We can meet every national security interest in Greenland by partnering with Denmark. They would welcome it with open arms, and that's the best way to do it.
INSKEEP: Senator Chris Coons of Delaware is at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Senator, it sounds like you're in a cafe. Would you order me an Americano while you're there?
COONS: Yes, I will. Thanks, Steve.
INSKEEP: Thanks very much. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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