The latest US-led bombardment in Venezuela and the capture of its president have sparked unease regarding America's ambitions on the Arctic territory. Members of the ex-president's political movement have allegedly focused on the strategically important island following the operations in the southern hemisphere.
Provocative Messages and Diplomatic Outrage
Merely a short time after the commencement of the Caracas operation, a well-known right-wing commentator, who is married to a senior presidential aide, shared a suggestive map. The picture showed Greenland draped with the American flag, with the single-word caption: "SOON."
This overt threat to absorb the resource-abundant land, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered immediate and firm condemnation from Denmark's officials.
"Denmark and the US are strong partners and should keep cooperate as such. American security is equally Greenland’s and our security," stated the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "Our nation and the US collaborate to guarantee security in the North."
The ambassador additionally highlighted that Denmark had significantly boosted its military budget this year, allocating a substantial sum specifically for Arctic and North Atlantic security. "And yes, we expect full recognition for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he added.
Administrative Appointments and Strategic Interests
The situation were additionally complicated by the previous naming of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had publicly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "privilege" to work in a unpaid capacity to "bring Greenland into the US."
After the military action in Venezuela, this representative commended the administration's actions, connecting it to the broader "war on drugs."
Since assuming office, the US president has repeatedly alarmed transatlantic partners with his expressed desire in Greenland. The territory is viewed as vitally strategic for national security and future resource extraction. It currently hosts the northernmost US military base.
Leaving the Door Open to Force
In a significant television interview, the president declined to rule out the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This position 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 stated.
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 Indigenous Resistance
In response to this constant "drumbeat" of threats, Denmark's intelligence service took the extraordinary step last month of labelling the United States as a "potential threat."
The prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland issued 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 shows a nuanced sentiment. While a overwhelming percentage of the island's inhabitants 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 many years.
Expert View: A Plausible Threat?
Some experts are increasingly re-evaluating the likelihood of such a action. One policy director specializing in defence admitted she had previously discounted the sabre-rattling but was "now not so sure."
"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to deploy a couple hundred or a couple thousand troops inside of Greenland, and it's not clear to me which power could intervene about it," she observed.
