Recent US-led strike in Venezuela and the detention of its president have ignited unease regarding Washington's designs on the Arctic territory. Followers of the former president's political movement have allegedly turned their attention to the resource-rich island in the wake of the events in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Messages and Official Outrage
Merely a short time following the initiation of the Venezuelan operation, a well-known conservative commentator, who is married to a high-ranking presidential adviser, posted a suggestive map. The picture showed Greenland draped with the stars and stripes, with the cryptic caption: "SOON."
This overt suggestion to claim the resource-abundant land, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered immediate and strong condemnation from Danish representatives.
"We are strong partners and should keep cooperate as such. US security is also Greenland’s and our security," stated the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US work together to guarantee security in the North."
The diplomat additionally highlighted that the kingdom had substantially boosted its military budget recently, allocating a substantial sum specifically for Northern and North Atlantic defence. "Furthermore, we demand full respect for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he added.
Political Appointments and Geopolitical Interests
The situation were additionally exacerbated by the recent naming of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The appointee had publicly thanked the president, stating it was an "honour" to work in a unpaid capacity to "bring Greenland into the US."
Following the military action in Venezuela, this envoy commended the administration's actions, linking it to the wider "fight against narcotics."
Ever since returning to office, the US president has consistently alarmed European allies with his stated desire in Greenland. The island is considered critically important for defence and future resource extraction. It currently hosts the northernmost US air base.
Refusing to Rule Out Military Action
In a notable television appearance, the leader declined to exclude the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This stance comes amid 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 described Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll value them... But we need that for global security."
Growing Tensions and Indigenous Resistance
In response to this constant "drumbeat" of threats, Denmark's intelligence service 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 statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot take over other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland shows a nuanced picture. While a overwhelming percentage of the island's residents desire self-rule from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously scant desire to join the United States. The territory has had the legal right to seek independence for over a decade.
Expert View: A Plausible Threat?
Some analysts are increasingly re-evaluating the possibility of such a move. One thinktank analyst focusing in military analysis conceded she had once discounted the sabre-rattling but was "currently not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to deploy a couple hundred or a couple thousand soldiers inside of Greenland, and it's not clear to me who could do anything about it," she observed.
