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 “to take such steps as may be necessary” to acquire Greenland and allow it to become part of the United States, per Fox News.
“I think it is in the world’s interest for the United States to exert sovereignty over Greenland,” Fine told Fox News Digital.
“Congress would still have to choose to make it a state, but this would simply authorize the president to do what he’s doing and say the Congress stands behind him,” Fine continued. “And then it would expedite it into becoming a state, but it would still be up to Congress about whether to do that.”
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 Greenland’s proximity to Russia and the critical minerals it has.
Fine said U.S. rule of Greenland would be better for its population.
“Their poverty rate is high. Denmark hasn’t treated them well,” Fine said. “When war came to town, Denmark couldn’t protect them. Guess who protected Greenland during World War II? We did.”
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, “I think the best way to acquire Greenland is voluntarily.”
“The poverty rate in Greenland is much, much higher than it is in Denmark. The country is run by socialists, and it is not in America’s interests to have a territory that large between the United States and Russia run by socialists,” Fine said.
The U.S. Constitution grants Congress the authority to admit new states into the Union.
“It 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,” the outlet reported. “Congress must then vote again to admit that new state before it’s made final with the president’s signature.”
