The latest US-led strike in Venezuela and the detention of its president have ignited worry regarding Washington's designs on Greenland. Members of the former president's political movement have allegedly focused on the vast island following the operations in South America.
Inflammatory Posts and Official Outrage
Only a short time following the initiation of the Venezuelan campaign, a well-known conservative podcaster, who is the spouse of a senior White House aide, shared a symbolic map. The graphic showed Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, accompanied by single-word caption: "SOON."
This blatant threat to claim the mineral-rich land, which is a part of the NATO alliance, provoked swift and strong criticism from Danish representatives.
"We are strong partners and should continue to work together as such. American security is equally Greenland’s and our security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "Our nation and the United States collaborate to ensure security in the North."
The ambassador further pointed out that the kingdom had significantly boosted its military budget this year, earmarking a large amount specifically for Arctic and North Atlantic defence. "And yes, we expect full respect for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he emphasized.
Administrative Moves and Strategic Goals
The situation were further complicated by the previous appointment of a Southern governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had openly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "honour" to work in a unpaid role to "bring Greenland into the US."
After the events in Venezuela, this envoy praised the president's actions, connecting it to the broader "war on drugs."
Since assuming office, the American leader has consistently unnerved transatlantic allies with his expressed desire in Greenland. The island is considered critically important for defence and future mineral exploitation. It currently houses the northernmost US military base.
Refusing to Rule Out Military Action
In a notable media interview, the leader refused to rule out the resorting to armed action to acquire Greenland. This stance comes during growing great-power rivalry 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 characterized Greenland as having a "tiny amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for global security."
Mounting Tensions and Indigenous Resistance
In response to this constant "rhetoric" of intent, Denmark's security agency took the unprecedented step last month of classifying the United States as a "potential threat."
The leaders of Denmark and Greenland issued a unified and stern rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot annex other countries."
Surveys in Greenland shows a nuanced picture. While a vast majority of the territory's residents seek self-rule from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously little to no appetite to become part of the United States. The island has had the legal right to seek sovereignty for over a decade.
Expert View: A Plausible Threat?
Military analysts are increasingly re-evaluating the possibility of such a action. One thinktank analyst specializing in defence admitted she had previously dismissed the sabre-rattling but was "currently not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to station a couple hundred or a few thousand soldiers inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could intervene about it," she observed.
