A Republican lawmaker from Florida will introduce a bill that may pave the way for Greenland to become the 51st state.
Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) is ready to introduce a bill Monday which would authorize President Donald Trump āto take such steps as may be necessaryā to acquire Greenland and allow it to become part of the United States, per Fox News.
āI think it is in the worldās interest for the United States to exert sovereignty over Greenland,ā Fine told Fox News Digital.
āCongress would still have to choose to make it a state, but this would simply authorize the president to do what heās doing and say the Congress stands behind him,ā Fine continued. āAnd then it would expedite it into becoming a state, but it would still be up to Congress about whether to do that.ā
On Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he will meet with officials from Denmark this week to discuss Greenland.
Trump has not been shy about pushing the idea of the U.S. buying the Arctic island territory.
He, as well as other Republican officials, have pointed to its strategic importance. This includes Greenlandās proximity to Russia and the critical minerals it has.
Fine said U.S. rule of Greenland would be better for its population.
āTheir poverty rate is high. Denmark hasnāt treated them well,ā Fine said. āWhen war came to town, Denmark couldnāt protect them. Guess who protected Greenland during World War II? We did.ā
The idea of taking over the territory by military force has some GOP lawmakers concerned.
This is especially true after White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt did not rule out using military force to acquire Greenland.
When asked if he would support the use of military force, Fine said, āI think the best way to acquire Greenland is voluntarily.ā
āThe poverty rate in Greenland is much, much higher than it is in Denmark. The country is run by socialists, and it is not in Americaās interests to have a territory that large between the United States and Russia run by socialists,ā Fine said.
The U.S. Constitution grants Congress the authority to admit new states into the Union.
āIt typically requires Congress to pass a bill authorizing the new state after a territory is formed, after which that territory must draft a state constitution approved by people who live there,ā the outlet reported. āCongress must then vote again to admit that new state before itās made final with the presidentās signature.ā
