Recent US-led strike in Venezuela and the capture of its president have ignited apprehension regarding America's designs on the Arctic territory. Members of the ex-president's political movement have reportedly set their sights on the strategically important landmass in the wake of the operations in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Posts and Official Backlash
Merely a short time following the start of the Venezuelan campaign, a prominent conservative podcaster, who is married to a high-ranking White House aide, shared a symbolic image. The picture showed Greenland draped with the stars and stripes, with the cryptic message: "SOON."
This blatant suggestion to claim the resource-abundant region, which is a part of the NATO alliance, provoked swift and firm criticism from Danish representatives.
"We are close allies and should keep cooperate as such. American security is also Greenland’s and our security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "Our nation and the United States collaborate to guarantee security in the Arctic."
The ambassador additionally highlighted that the kingdom had substantially boosted its defence spending recently, allocating a large sum specifically for Northern and North Atlantic security. "And yes, we demand complete recognition for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he emphasized.
Administrative Appointments and Strategic Interests
The situation were further complicated by the previous naming of a US state governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had publicly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "privilege" to work in a volunteer capacity to "bring Greenland into the US."
Following the events in Venezuela, this envoy praised the administration's decisive move, linking it to the broader "war on drugs."
Since assuming office, the American leader has consistently alarmed transatlantic partners with his expressed desire in Greenland. The island is viewed as vitally important for defence and potential resource extraction. It already hosts the northernmost US military base.
Refusing to Rule Out Force
In a notable media interview, the president declined to rule out the resorting to armed action to acquire Greenland. This stance comes amid intensifying global 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 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 Tensions and Local Resistance
In response to this persistent "drumbeat" of intent, Danish intelligence service took the unprecedented step last month of classifying the United States as a "security risk."
The prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland delivered a unified and forceful rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot annex other countries."
Surveys in Greenland reveals a complex sentiment. While a vast majority of the territory's residents desire self-rule from Denmark, there is also scant appetite to become part of the United States. The island has had the legal right to declare independence for over a decade.
Expert Assessment: A Credible Scenario?
Some experts are now reconsidering the possibility of such a move. One thinktank analyst focusing in military analysis conceded she had previously discounted the rhetoric but was "currently not so sure."
"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to station a couple hundred or a couple thousand troops on Greenland, and it's not clear to me which power could do anything about it," she observed.
