SARAH MCCAMMON, HOST:
President Trump is escalating his effort to acquire Greenland, which is part of the kingdom of Denmark. In a social media post earlier today, he said he will impose a new 10% tariff on several European countries that oppose the idea - including Germany, France and Denmark - that is, until they get on board. This came on the heels of a bipartisan congressional delegation that went to Denmark on Friday to try to turn down the temperature. NPR congressional correspondent Barbara Sprunt traveled there also, and she joins us from Copenhagen. Hi, Barbara.
BARBARA SPRUNT, BYLINE: Hi, Sarah.
MCCAMMON: So tell me more about this delegation. Who went, and what was their goal?
SPRUNT: Well, this was a group of about a dozen lawmakers, mostly Democrats. There were two Republicans, both of whom have shown a willingness in the past to push back on the Trump administration. And this was, at its core, a reassurance tour. You know, they were coming to listen and hear the concerns of politicians of both Denmark and Greenland, as well as some Danish business leaders. Here's Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski speaking after an event at Parliament yesterday.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
LISA MURKOWSKI: I think it is important to underscore that when you ask the American people whether or not they think it is a good idea for the United States to acquire Greenland, the vast majority - some 75% - will say, we do not think that that is a good idea.
SPRUNT: You know what's interesting, Sarah - I follow these folks around on Capitol Hill all the time, and it was almost like seeing them in a completely different job. They were diplomats. They were talking to allies who are frankly in crisis mode.
MCCAMMON: You know, that's a really interesting distinction - diplomats versus lawmakers. What did you see?
SPRUNT: Well, on Capitol Hill, partisanship reigns. When there's an opportunity for Democrats to take a dig at President Trump over policy or politics, more often than not, it happens. But here in Copenhagen, that's not what I saw largely. I heard a lot of careful language, a lot about bringing the knowledge that they've gained here by listening to the concerns of people on the ground back with them to the U.S. Delaware Senator Chris Coons, who led the delegation, said he'd even welcome conversations with the White House about what they've learned.
MCCAMMON: Needless to say, a very different tone from what we've heard from President Trump. What was the response from the politicians from Denmark and Greenland?
SPRUNT: They said they were pleased that the delegation came, that they had constructive conversations and that it was important for lawmakers to hear directly from officials from Greenland. And although they're clear in their concern about the rhetoric around buying Greenland, I thought their tone was really notable. It was calm. They repeatedly said that they stand ready to work alongside the U.S. Here's Pipaluk Lynge, a Greenlandic politician. Reporters were asking her about Trump and his comments.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
PIPALUK LYNGE: I think it's really important not to demonize anyone. It's really important to focus on what we're agreeing on and focus on dialogue.
SPRUNT: And I think it's really significant there how measured she is, not at all inflaming what's already a volatile situation.
MCCAMMON: Now, of course, President Trump says he wants to take over Greenland because he doesn't want China or Russia to take it over. What are officials there saying about that?
SPRUNT: I heard repeatedly from lawmakers that they haven't received any intelligence that suggests that that is an imminent threat. That being said, Greenland and Danish officials did say that they're willing to work with the U.S. to address concerns around safeguarding the Arctic. And I should mention, the U.S. already has a military presence in Greenland.
MCCAMMON: What else are you hearing from the people you're meeting there in Copenhagen, Barbara?
SPRUNT: Well, I attended a demonstration earlier today, thousands of people marching to protest Trump. Lots of passion, tons of chanting of, Greenland is not for sale. I saw a lot of hats that looked almost like the signature red Make America Great Again hats, but they said, Make America Go Away. I went up to one gentleman who had a sign that showed a image of Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker, and it said, Americans, we know there is good in you, come back to sanity. His name is Peder Dam, and he said he doesn't think that Trump's demands are necessarily representative of what all Americans want, but he does wonder why there isn't more outrage.
PEDER DAM: I can't understand. If my government said that they would attack Sweden, then I would step up and protest that. Why isn't there more normal, average Americans stepping up, going to demonstrations, trying to protest what is going on?
SPRUNT: And this is the overarching sentiment that I heard from people. They feel frankly betrayed by a key ally, and they're very worried about their future.
MCCAMMON: NPR's Barbara Sprunt, reporting from Copenhagen. Thanks, Barbara.
SPRUNT: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
