President Donald Trump’s threat to weaponize steep new tariffs as part of his bid to acquire Greenland could soon put queasy Republicans on the spot.
House and Senate Democrats plan to force votes as soon as next month to block the European tariffs Trump announced over the weekend, according to two aides granted anonymity to disclose private scheduling. That, for now, is likely to be the main avenue of congressional accountability as the president amps up his campaign targeting the icy Danish territory.
Democrats are waiting for Trump to file his executive order, but once he does, a resolution would ripen about 20 days later, according to one Senate aide granted anonymity to describe internal planning.
While some lawmakers have floated using the spending legislation now moving through Congress ahead of next week’s government funding deadline as a way to block Trump, leaders of both parties are wary of taking any steps that could lead to a government shutdown. And, as POLITICO first reported, Danish officials have privately urged against forcing a vote on a separate war powers authorization unless it has overwhelming bipartisan support.
