Chris Coons
Initiator and leader of the delegation, 62 years old, Democrat and Senator for Delaware. He studied law and ethics at Yale and has worked as a legal advisor. He is married and has three children. The goal of the meeting in Copenhagen is to highlight »more than 200 years of friendship between the United States and the Kingdom of Denmark«, he writes on his website.
On X, he writes:
»At a time of increasing international instability, we need our allies more than ever, and this trip will send a clear message that Congress still stands with Denmark and the NATO alliance.«
Thom Tillis
65 years old and Republican Senator for North Carolina. He has worked with computers and as a business consultant. He is a moderate Republican who has, among other things, voted for illegal refugees to become part of society and refused to support the wall Trump is building to keep migrants from the south out. He is co-chair of the Senate NATO Observer Group. He will step down at the end of the year.
»I am tired of stupidity. I have a good piece of advice for this president because I want this president to have a good legacy: This nonsense about what should happen with Greenland is a distraction from the good work he is doing, and the amateurs who said it was a good idea should lose their jobs«, he said in a speech to the Senate last week.
Jeanne Shaheen
78 years old, Democratic Senator for New Hampshire, who has served three full terms. She is the first woman to have been both a senator and a governor. She has a degree in English and political science, and she has taught for several years. After the storming of Congress, she stated that Trump was unfit to hold public office.
She writes in the press release:
»Now more than ever, the American/Danish partnership and the NATO alliance are the foundation of the USA’s security«.
Lisa Murkowski
68 years old, Republican Senator for Alaska, with a good connection to member of the Danish Parliament Aaja Chemnitz from the Greenlandic party IA. The two have also spoken ahead of the meeting on Friday. On her website, Lisa Murkowski writes directly to Trump, whom she believes should be busy enough with Venezuela, Russia, and Ukraine:
»Mr. President, there is a great deal we need to be doing. But there is one thing we should not be doing—one thing we should not be spending our time on—and that is any effort to annex Greenland. That includes taking it by force, coercion, pressure, threat, or any related method. (...) In my more than two decades here, I have immersed myself in Arctic issues. I have strong relationships across the Arctic, including in Greenland. (...) There is no reason to treat long-standing allies with such a profound lack of respect. (...) I was in Greenland just a few months ago and met with the new Prime Minister and President. (...) Greenland is eager to talk. They want dialogue with a friend and ally—not coercion.«
Dick Durbin
81 years old, Democratic Senator for Illinois. He is a trained lawyer and was a pub owner for a period. He has served seven terms in the House of Representatives and is now in his sixth term in the Senate, which he has also said will be his last. He has recently passed a law banning deepfakes with sexual content and identity theft.
»President Trump’s persistent threats against Greenland are unnecessary and weaken our alliance in NATO«, he says in his lead-up to the meeting in Copenhagen.
Gregory Meeks
72 years old, Democratic member of the House of Representatives for New York since 1997. Grew up in a concrete housing area in East Harlem. He is a trained lawyer and has worked as a prosecutor and fought against drugs and organized crime.
He writes: »Our bipartisan delegation will highlight how vital the Kingdom of Denmark has been as an ally in America’s toughest moments. Denmark and Greenland have been crystal clear: Greenland and its people are not for sale.«
Sara Jacobs
36 years old and Democrat in the House of Representatives for California’s 51st district. She hails from San Diego, has degrees in art, political science, and international politics, and is in her third term.
»NATO is not outdated. NATO is not a waste of money. It is a vital investment to keep the USA safe. With a partner nation like Denmark, we can help each other stay safe by sharing information«, she writes.
Madeleine Dean
66 years old and Democrat in the House of Representatives for Pennsylvania. She has a degree in law and political science and has also taught. As a politician, she has focused especially on equality, the fight against sexual abuse, addiction, and health. And she became part of the fight against guns after the Sandy Hook school shooting.
Sarah McBride
The 35-year-old Democrat was elected to the House of Representatives for Delaware in 2024 as the first openly transgender person ever. She is an author and has fought for LGBT+ rights.
Steny Hoyer
The 86-year-old Steny Hoyer has represented his district in Maryland in the House of Representatives since 1981. He is thus the longest-serving Democrat in the House. He has twice been the leader of the House Democratic Caucus. His father was named Steen Theilgaard Høyer and came from Denmark. Steny is a variation of his father’s name. He is one of two leaders of the Congressional Friends of Denmark group in the House of Representatives. Steny Hoyer has recently announced that he will not seek re-election but will retire after the next election, which will take place in November this year.
Peter Welch
The 78-year-old Peter Welch is a senator for Vermont elected for the Democratic Party. He is a former lawyer. In 2006, he replaced left-wing icon Bernie Sanders in the House of Representatives when Sanders was elected to the Senate. Today, they are Vermont’s two senators. In 2023, Peter Welch, at 75, became the Senate’s oldest newly elected member.
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