House Democrats introduced a bill last week that, if passed, would block President Donald Trump from using the military to take any action against Canada, Greenland, and Panama.
The bill was introduced amid months of threats from Trump to either annex or otherwise compel the above-named countries into submitting to his will.
Trump has spoken since before the November election about his desire to see Greenland’s inhabitants become US citizens. He has claimed that taking the vast Arctic territory is also vital to US national security.
The president has also spent months commenting on statehood for Canada and threatening to take back the Panama Canal.
Trump has claimed Panama’s government allowed Chinese influence in the area to break a treaty signed by President Jimmy Carter that gave the crucial waterway to its host country decades ago.
On Thursday, Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI) introduced H.R. 1936 to “prohibit funds for the Armed Forces to engage in operations to invade or seize territory from Canada, the Republic of Panama, or the self-governing territory of Greenland.”
The bill had eight Democratic cosponsors but is unlikely to advance through the House.
On his X account, Magaziner said his bill would prevent Trump from unilaterally starting wars with US allies.
“Under the Constitution it is Congress, not the President, who has the authority to declare war,” the Rhide Island Democrat wrote. “My bill sends a message to President Trump – don’t engage in military conquests without our consent.”
The congressman told Rhode Island’s WPRI, “President Trump should not be allowed to put American servicemembers into harm’s way by starting unnecessary wars with our allies.”
Magaziner added, “My bill, the No Invading Allies Act, makes clear that Congress will not allow the President to unilaterally drag us into unnecessary conflicts that do nothing to make Americans safer.”
