Recent US-led strike in Venezuela and the detention of its leader have renewed unease regarding Washington's ambitions on Greenland. Members of the ex-president's base have allegedly focused on the strategically important landmass in the wake of the events in South America.
Provocative Messages and Official Outrage
Merely a short time following the start of the Venezuelan operation, a prominent right-wing podcaster, who is the spouse of a senior presidential aide, shared a symbolic map. The picture showed Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, accompanied by single-word caption: "COMING."
This overt suggestion to absorb the resource-abundant region, which is a member of the NATO alliance, triggered swift and strong criticism from Danish representatives.
"Denmark and the US are strong partners and should keep cooperate as such. American security is equally Greenland’s and our security," declared the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "Our nation and the United States collaborate to ensure security in the North."
The diplomat further pointed out that Denmark had substantially boosted its military budget recently, earmarking a large amount specifically for Northern and regional defence. "And yes, we demand complete respect for the territorial integrity of the our realm," he emphasized.
Administrative Moves and Strategic Interests
The situation were additionally exacerbated by the previous naming of a US state governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had publicly expressed gratitude to the president, saying it was an "honour" to work in a unpaid role to "bring Greenland into the US."
After the events in Venezuela, this representative commended the administration's actions, linking it to the wider "war on drugs."
Ever since assuming office, the US president has consistently alarmed European allies with his expressed interest in Greenland. The island is considered vitally strategic for defence and future resource extraction. It currently houses the most northerly US air base.
Refusing to Rule Out Force
In a notable media interview, the president refused to rule out the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This stance comes amid growing 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 global security."
Mounting Friction and Indigenous Opposition
In reaction to this constant "rhetoric" of threats, Denmark's intelligence service took the unprecedented step last month of classifying the United States as a "security risk."
The leaders of Denmark and Greenland delivered a unified and stern statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not take over other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland reveals a complex sentiment. While a overwhelming percentage of the island's residents seek self-rule from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously little to no desire to become part of the United States. The island has had the legal right to declare independence for over a decade.
Analyst Assessment: A Plausible Scenario?
Military analysts are now re-evaluating the likelihood of such a action. One thinktank director focusing in military analysis admitted she had once dismissed the rhetoric but was "currently not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to deploy a few hundred or a few thousand troops inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me who could intervene about it," she observed.
