Delaware Sen. Chris Coons says Trump risked much and gained little with threats over Greenland

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Delaware Sen. Chris Coons said he is not encouraged by President Donald Trump’s announcement that a “framework” of an agreement has been reached over Greenland.

Trump has been calling for the United States to own the semiautonomous Danish territory of Greenland, either by purchasing it or capturing it using military force. However, in a speech this week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the president backpedaled on his military threat.

“We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force, where we would be frankly unstoppable. But I won’t do that, OK?” Trump said.

Coons, who just returned from leading a bipartisan congressional delegation to Copenhagen, Denmark, said that while he and U.S. allies are relieved by Trump’s backing away from the threat of starting a war with a NATO country, damage has been done nonetheless.

“It has put at question our trustworthiness and reliability as an ally,” said Coons, the ranking member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. “The tone with which the president and his cabinet members engaged with audiences in Switzerland were both shocking and offensive to a number of our core allies and have left them questioning what they have to do in order to ensure their collective security against an American government that they increasingly see as an untrustworthy ally and hostile.”

Trump had threatened eight European countries, including Denmark, Norway, France and Sweden, with 10% tariffs for opposing his desire to acquire Greenland before backing off.

A Danish government official told The Associated Press after Trump’s speech that Copenhagen was ready to discuss U.S. security concerns. But the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, underscored the government’s position that “red lines” — namely Denmark’s sovereignty — must be respected.

It was not immediately clear how Trump’s canceling of tariffs might change such calculations.

The framework could include expanding on the 1951 treaty between the U.S. and Denmark, which allows an American military presence in Greenland in perpetuity.

Coons said he spoke to Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who he said welcomed the possibility of the U.S. reopening or expanding some of its former facilities in Greenland.

“I frankly think with regards to Denmark and Greenland, Trump risked a lot and gained virtually nothing,” Coons said. “I believe the ultimate terms of this deal will reflect that he got nothing more than he could have achieved by simply asking nicely and using the existing relationships we have with the Danes.”

Coons said he plans to question Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the president’s threats about Greenland and the recent arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the U.S. military during Rubio’s testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee next week.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.