The latest US-led strike in Venezuela and the detention of its president have renewed worry regarding America's ambitions on Greenland. Followers of the ex-president's political movement have reportedly focused on the strategically important landmass in the wake of the events in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Messages and Official Outrage
Merely hours following the initiation of the Caracas operation, a well-known right-wing commentator, who is the spouse of a high-ranking White House adviser, posted a suggestive image. The picture depicted Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, accompanied by single-word caption: "COMING."
This blatant suggestion to absorb the mineral-rich land, which is a member of the NATO alliance, provoked swift and strong criticism from Danish representatives.
"We are close allies and should continue to work together as such. American security is equally Greenland’s and Denmark’s security," declared the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US work together to guarantee security in the Arctic."
The diplomat further highlighted that the kingdom had substantially increased its military budget this year, earmarking a substantial sum expressly for Arctic and regional security. "Furthermore, we demand complete respect for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he added.
Political Appointments and Strategic Goals
The tensions were additionally exacerbated by the previous appointment of a Southern governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had publicly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, stating it was an "privilege" to serve in a volunteer capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."
Following the military action in Venezuela, this representative commended the administration's decisive move, linking it to the wider "war on drugs."
Ever since assuming office, the US president has repeatedly unnerved transatlantic partners with his stated interest in Greenland. The island is viewed as vitally strategic for defence and potential resource extraction. It currently houses the most northerly US military base.
Leaving the Door Open to Force
In a notable television interview, the leader refused to exclude the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This position comes during 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 "very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for international security."
Mounting Tensions and Indigenous Opposition
In response to this constant "drumbeat" of intent, Danish intelligence service took the unprecedented step last month of labelling the United States as a "potential threat."
The prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland delivered a joint and stern rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not annex other countries."
Surveys in Greenland shows a complex sentiment. While a overwhelming percentage of the island's residents seek independence from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously little to no appetite to become part of the United States. The island has had the legal right to declare sovereignty for over a decade.
Expert Assessment: A Credible Threat?
Military analysts are now re-evaluating the possibility of such a action. One thinktank analyst focusing in military analysis admitted she had once discounted the rhetoric but was "now 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 unclear to me which power could do anything about it," she concluded.
