Transcription
Emmanuel, you know, Emmanuel Macron. Macron. I love the French accent. Emmanuel.
Everybody thinks in France, in the European Union, that Greenland is not to be sold, not to be taken. The situation in Greenland is clearly a wakeup call for all the Europeans. And let me tell you very directly that you you are not alone. Yeah, it appears that the French prime minister finally said the quiet part out loud. America under Donald Trump isn't leaving the alliance anymore. It's turning away from it.
We need to step up in Europe. We need a stronger and a more resolute Europe standing increasingly in its own right, capable of defending and promoting Europe and the European interest. EU.
This week, Emmanuel Macron delivered an unusually blunt message about US behavior under Trump, warning that America is quote breaking free from international rules and gradually turning away from some of its allies. The president of France, one of America's oldest allies, stood at a podium and said, "We are watching the United States drift out of the alliance system in real time."
And when a strategic message is sent to you, I want just for you to know that it's clearly perceived by the Europeans as targeting a European land. And this flag you have here is our common flag. And we know our common values and we know our long-standing choices. And this is why it's very important for French people and all the European people to convey very clearly this message of solidarity and the fact that we stand with you now for today and for tomorrow.
If any military member, including the generals on down to enlisted members, if any of them participate in the use of military force against Greenland without congressional authorization, they are following illegal orders. That's simply a fact.
And the backdrop for the criticism is obvious. Trump's ever escalating rhetoric and pressure campaign to try and annex Greenland, a territory that is tied to Denmark, a NATO ally. And despite the fact that our allies are warning against it and even federal Republicans who usually get in line with Trump are coming out to say, "We have enough problems here at home. Why are you so focused on another territory?" Trump refuses to acknowledge any of this and continues his aggressive rhetoric.
Point. We had 17 military installations in Greenland and they'd be happy to have us back. They're not refusing to let have us have access to project power into the Arctic. We can do it without taking over a NATO country. That's the sort of advice that they should have been given. So if the president thought it was a good idea, then he needs the expertise to say, "Mr. President, that's why this is not a good idea." And I would defy you to find any credible uh general with a star on his shoulder who would say that it is because they understand that the NATO alliances is what has kept this nation largely or this c world largely safe for over 75 years.
Look, I I've been the reason why I thought it was important for me to make a comment on the floor is I've been the Republican leader of the Senate NATO observer group since 2018. There is no more important alliance than the NATO alliance and den and and Denmark has punched above its weight. It came to Afghanistan, lost 43 uh soldiers on the ground, fought in some of the most contested regions, honoring their article 5 commitment to the United States. I think they lost more soldiers than any other country per capita.
Per capita they did. And and Jake, they were they were in among the the the NATO allies at the time. It was 30 nations. They were among the top six. And and think about all the nations bigger than them. So they to have the prime minister suggest that they have to be prepared for some sort of action by the United States suggests to me that Mr. Miller does not know anything about the alliance, the importance of it. And you know, generals, I was on Senate Armed Services for eight years, and generals would always say the same thing. The only thing worse than going to war with allies is going to war without allies.
Greenland and Denmark have repeatedly said Greenland is not for sale. European officials have even warned that entertaining coercive acquisition rhetoric destabilizes NATO unity because rightfully so, it it shows that the US treats allies as a target. Danish and Greenland's own officials have made it clear that the rhetoric isn't just offensive, it's frightening. Their people and away from the diplomatic nightmare that is Donald Trump, right? Just look at how it's being received from the people in Greenland. They are terrified of the very idea that Donald Trump would be a leader to them. And yet somehow this country decided that this man was fit for office twice. Talk about him because he spoiled my my sleep or they do. I don't sleep very well because I'm afraid they have no respect for us, for my country and for our country. So what I think is he wants the Greenlandic minerals to pay off the national depth of United States. That's what I think.
Do you think people are really scared in in in Greenland? Yeah, I've seen quite few who were concerned. I dreamed about him last night. Nightmare. Nightmare that he was coming with the ship. It was awful that dream. So I am I'm I'm scared.
What the reasons behind it. It we don't get it really. It's so peaceful and calm here. And he and they he says that Denmark is not protecting Greenland from what and there's been a collaboration with the USA for many many many years. So this it's not all of the sudden but it's really aggressive now and it's getting kind of annoying.
So when Macron warns that the US is turning away from its allies, it's a direct reaction to a US president acting like NATO borders are flexible depending on his mood. And Macron is far from alone on this matter. German officials have came out recently and vowed to support Greenland whatever means necessary and that NATO unity depends on allies acting together, not unilaterally. Territorial. And that matters, right? Because when France and Germany, the twin engines of the modern European project, are openly warning about US behavior, this then becomes Europe preparing for a world in which they treat America no different than they would treat the likes of Russia or China. And this kind of makes sense, right? Considering Donald Trump has made it no secret his admiration of the leaders of those countries. And as I will continue to point out whenever this subject is brought up, can you imagine if this was Barack Obama doing this or Joe Biden talking about invading a sovereign territory just weeks after literally invading a sovereign territory and capturing the leader? I tell you right now, the Donald Trump of 2014 2015 would have many uh grammatically flawed tweets to send out about this.
I'm not going to start a war. I'm going to stop wars. No more wars. No more disruptions. We will have prosperity and we will have peace. Under Trump, we will have no more wars, no more disruptions, and we will have prosperity and peace for all. I am the candidate of peace. I am peace.
Despite the president's promises to not start new wars nor pursue regime change operations abroad, Mr. President, today there are 15,000 brave US troops and an American armada off Venezuela's coast, all without congressional authorization. And the president is threatening more attacks on more countries, including all. Every time you turn the TV on, it's another country. Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, and Greenland, part of Denmark, a NATO ally. Congress has not authorized any of these dangerous potential operations which risk destroying alliances and relationships that have long kept the American people safe. The Trump administration, however, continues to trample on our Constitution with unauthorized military actions while threatening others, weakening US democracy and making the world more dangerous in the process.
And Mr. He didn't just criticize Donald Trump's tone on this matter, which he has done in the past. He warned that the US is breaking away from the rules-based order in turning away from those that have stood by its side for years. I mean, Denmark was, I believe, one of the countries that lost the most soldiers per capita when they went into Afghanistan with the United States to back them up. But I guess none of that matters when you have an egoomaniac in charge.
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