The latest US-led military action in Venezuela and the detention of its president have sparked worry regarding Washington's designs on the Arctic territory. Followers of the ex-president's base have reportedly turned their attention to the strategically important island in the wake of the events in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Posts and Official Backlash
Only hours after the initiation of the Venezuelan operation, a prominent right-wing commentator, who is married to a senior presidential adviser, shared a suggestive image. The graphic showed Greenland draped with the American flag, with the single-word caption: "SOON."
This overt suggestion to annex the resource-abundant region, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, provoked swift and strong condemnation from Danish representatives.
"We are close allies and should keep cooperate as such. US security is also Greenland’s and Denmark’s security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "Our nation and the US collaborate to guarantee security in the North."
The diplomat additionally pointed out that Denmark had substantially boosted its military budget this year, allocating a substantial amount specifically for Arctic and regional security. "Furthermore, we demand complete recognition for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he emphasized.
Administrative Appointments and Geopolitical Goals
The tensions were additionally exacerbated by the recent naming of a US state governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had publicly thanked the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "privilege" to work in a unpaid capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."
After the military action in Venezuela, this representative praised the president's actions, linking it to the broader "fight against narcotics."
Ever since returning to office, the American leader has consistently alarmed transatlantic allies with his stated interest in Greenland. The territory is considered vitally strategic for national security and future mineral exploitation. It already houses the most northerly US military base.
Leaving the Door Open to Force
In a significant media interview, the president refused to rule out the resorting to armed action to acquire Greenland. This position comes during intensifying great-power competition in the Arctic. "I don't rule it out. I don't say I'm going to do it, but I don't rule out anything... We need Greenland very badly," he remarked.
He described Greenland as having a "tiny amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for international security."
Growing Friction and Local Resistance
In reaction to this persistent "drumbeat" of threats, Denmark's intelligence service took the extraordinary step last month of classifying the United States as a "security risk."
The prime ministers of both Greenland issued a unified and stern rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not annex other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland shows a complex picture. While a vast majority of the island's residents seek self-rule from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously scant appetite to join the United States. The territory has had the option to declare sovereignty for over a decade.
Expert View: A Credible Scenario?
Military experts are now re-evaluating the likelihood of such a action. One thinktank director focusing in military analysis admitted she had previously dismissed the sabre-rattling but was "currently not so sure."
"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to deploy a couple hundred or a few thousand troops on Greenland, and it's not clear to me who could do anything about it," she concluded.
