Recent US-led strike in Venezuela and the capture of its president have renewed apprehension regarding Washington's ambitions on Greenland. Followers of the ex-president's base have allegedly set their sights on the vast landmass in the wake of the operations in South America.
Inflammatory Posts and Official Outrage
Merely a short time after the initiation of the Caracas operation, a well-known right-wing commentator, who is married to a senior White House adviser, posted a suggestive map. The picture showed Greenland covered in the American flag, accompanied by single-word caption: "COMING."
This blatant suggestion to claim the mineral-rich land, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered swift and firm criticism from Danish officials.
"We are strong partners and should continue to cooperate as such. American security is equally the Arctic's and our security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the United States collaborate to guarantee security in the North."
The ambassador further highlighted that the kingdom had significantly boosted its defence spending this year, allocating a substantial amount specifically for Northern and North Atlantic defence. "Furthermore, we demand full respect for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he emphasized.
Administrative Moves and Geopolitical Interests
The situation were further exacerbated by the recent naming of a Southern governor as a representative to Greenland. The appointee had openly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "honour" to work in a volunteer capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."
After the events in Venezuela, this representative commended the administration's decisive move, connecting it to the wider "war on drugs."
Ever since returning to office, the US president has consistently alarmed transatlantic partners with his expressed desire in Greenland. The territory is viewed as critically strategic for defence and future mineral exploitation. It currently houses the northernmost US air base.
Leaving the Door Open to Military Action
In a significant media appearance, the president declined to exclude the resorting to armed action to acquire Greenland. This stance 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 "very small amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for international security."
Mounting Friction and Indigenous Resistance
In response to this persistent "rhetoric" of intent, Denmark's intelligence service took the extraordinary step last month of classifying the United States as a "potential threat."
The prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland issued a unified and stern rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot take over other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland reveals a complex picture. While a vast majority of the territory's residents seek self-rule from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously scant appetite to become part of the United States. The territory has had the legal right to seek independence for over a decade.
Expert Assessment: A Credible Threat?
Some analysts are now reconsidering the possibility of such a action. One thinktank director specializing in military analysis admitted she had once discounted the sabre-rattling but was "now not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to deploy a few hundred or a couple thousand troops on Greenland, and it's not clear to me which power could do anything about it," she concluded.
