Republicans Finally Flinch at Trump’s Greenland Talk — Don’t Call It Courage

When the White House threatens a NATO ally, even loyalists start looking for the exit

By Cliff Potts, CSO, and Editor-in-Chief of WPS News

The Republican Party is not suddenly discovering principle. It is discovering consequences.

After days of Trump’s escalating rhetoric about U.S. “control” of Greenland, a handful of Republicans have begun to publicly push back. Not because they’ve had a moral awakening, and not because they’ve become guardians of international law. They’re pushing back because this particular stunt is so destructive—and so humiliating—that it risks blowing up NATO, wrecking America’s credibility, and handing propaganda victories to Moscow without a fight.

Let’s name the names, for the record.

Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) has been unusually blunt, calling the Greenland talk “appalling” and “demeaning,” warning there is “no upside” to treating Denmark—“one of our best friends”—like a target. He even urged other Republicans to line up and tell the White House it’s wrong. That’s not heroism; it’s a Republican reading a map and realizing Trump is driving the car off the cliff.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has tried to tamp it down by dismissing the idea of using the military to seize Greenland as something nobody is “contemplating seriously.” That’s not a denunciation. It’s crisis PR. But even that much signals fear of where Trump’s language is heading.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), retiring and therefore less vulnerable to Trump’s political retaliation, delivered the clearest internal revolt. He called the Greenland noise “stupid” and “nonsense,” demanded better advice for the president, and suggested the “amateurs” pushing this should lose their jobs—explicitly singling out Stephen Miller. Tillis isn’t turning into an anti-Trump saint. He’s acting like someone who knows what this does to alliances and deterrence.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) has been direct and visibly disturbed, saying she “hates” the idea of taking Greenland by purchase or force, warning any effort to claim territory by force would damage U.S. national security and international relationships. Murkowski has also called it “stunning” that this is even a conversation in 2026.

Even Mitch McConnell—no stranger to enabling the broader machine—issued a warning that threats and intimidation toward a NATO ally are “unseemly” and “counterproductive.” Again: not courage. Damage control.

And then there’s the quiet caution from House Speaker Mike Johnson, who hasn’t condemned Trump, but has thrown cold water on the idea that military action is truly on the table. That’s how Republican leadership operates now: never confront the king directly, just whisper that the palace walls might collapse.

For balance and context, it matters who is not resisting. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) has cheered the confrontation, and Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.), chairing House Foreign Affairs, has defended keeping military options “on the table.” This is the Republican split in plain language: some are addicted to Trump’s spectacle, others fear the geopolitical bill coming due.

Former Trump national security adviser John Bolton—hardly a dove—has also called Trump’s Greenland talk a “disaster,” warning that even discussing military force destroys trust and reputation at incalculable cost. When Bolton is the one saying “stop,” you know the room has filled with smoke.

So yes, Republicans are starting to stand up—selectively, late, and with self-interest dripping off every sentence. They are not heroes. They are people who helped normalize the wrecking ball until it started swinging toward NATO itself. For posterity’s sake, remember who spoke up—and remember how long they waited.

---

References (APA)

Euronews. (2026, January 8). “Appalling” and “nonsense”: Republicans push back against Trump’s Greenland plans.

Spectrum News. (2026, January 7). Congress reacts to escalating U.S. Greenland takeover talk as top Republicans take a cautious approach.

The Washington Post. (2026, January 14). Bipartisan Senate group backs Greenland and Denmark amid Trump’s threats.

Euronews. (2026, January 14). Bolton: Trump’s Greenland grab would be “disaster for the United States”.

Reuters. (2026, January 14). Just one in five Americans support Trump’s efforts to acquire Greenland, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds.