Days after U.S. officials captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a military operation, lawmakers are moving to block similar actions against another country President Trump has publicly eyed.
Sen. Ruben Gallego (D‑Ariz.) introduced an amendment to the Senate Defense appropriations bill that would prohibit use of money in the measure “for the use of military force, the conduct of hostilities, or the preparation for war against or with respect to Greenland.” The move is aimed at preventing any Pentagon‑funded option for a forcible seizure or militarized coercion of the island — an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark that U.S. political figures have occasionally discussed as a prize of strategic value in the Arctic.
“Families are getting crushed by rising grocery and housing costs, inflation is up, and Trump’s name is all over the Epstein files. Instead of doing anything to fix those problems, Trump is trying to distract people by threatening to start wars and invade countries — first in Venezuela, and now against our NATO ally Denmark,” Gallego said in the release. “What’s happening in Venezuela shows us that we can’t just ignore Trump’s reckless threats. His dangerous behavior puts American lives and our global credibility at risk. I’m introducing this amendment to make it clear that Congress will not bankroll illegal, unnecessary military action, and to force Republicans to choose whether they’re going to finally stand up or keep enabling Trump’s chaos.”
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The amendment’s language is short and specific: it would bar obligation or expenditure of funds provided by H.R. 4016 — the Defense appropriations bill for fiscal 2026 — for military force or preparations for war “against or with respect to Greenland.” If adopted into law, the provision would operate as an appropriations restriction, directly constraining what Congress’s Defense dollars can pay for.
Practical effect and limits
By targeting appropriated Defense funds, the amendment would remove a primary fiscal avenue for any Pentagon operation aimed at taking control of Greenland. Defense planners rely heavily on annual appropriations to fund planning, exercises, logistics and operations; blocking those dollars would make a conventional military takeover far more difficult to finance and execute without explicit congressional authorization.
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But experts caution the restriction would not be an absolute ban on every conceivable government action involving Greenland. The measure applies only to funds “made available by this Act” — meaning other federal accounts not covered by H.R. 4016 might still be used unless separately constrained. In addition, administrations have tools such as reprogramming, transfers, emergency authorities and use of other statutory funds that could be invoked — actions that would likely produce political and legal fights if attempted.
The amendment likewise does not directly restrict non‑DOD activity by other agencies, such as intelligence operations or diplomatic initiatives, nor would it bar peaceful negotiations or non‑military arrangements between governments. And questions about how broadly “preparation for war” is interpreted — for example, whether certain Arctic training or allied exercises could be classified as routine rather than preparatory — could shape the amendment’s real‑world reach.
Gallego's release says Trump has repeatedly doubled down on his claims that Greenland should become part of the United States. On Sunday, after announcing that the U.S. has taken control over Venezuela, Trump said that he “absolutely” wants to take over Greenland, and that he would revisit the topic in a few weeks. By putting the restriction on the Defense bill, Gallego aims both to constrain the executive branch financially and to force a public vote that could expose which lawmakers are willing to block any military route to a Greenland takeover.
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“This is a clear statement that Congress does not want the Pentagon engaging in military action directed at or tied to Greenland,” Gallego said in the release. Whether the amendment survives committee consideration, floor debate and conference with the House remains uncertain — but even if it does not become law, proponents say it sends a strong legislative signal about congressional unwillingness to fund a military grab for a NATO partner’s territory.
