Recent American bombardment in the South American nation and the capture of its leader have sparked apprehension regarding Washington's ambitions on the Arctic territory. Supporters of the former president's base have reportedly focused on the vast landmass in the wake of the operations in the southern hemisphere.
Provocative Messages and Official Outrage
Only hours following the initiation of the Venezuelan campaign, a prominent conservative commentator, who is married to a high-ranking White House adviser, posted a symbolic map. The graphic showed Greenland draped with the American flag, with the cryptic caption: "SOON."
This overt threat to annex the resource-abundant land, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered swift and strong criticism from Danish officials.
"Denmark and the US are close allies and should continue to work together as such. US security is also Greenland’s and our security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "Our nation and the US collaborate to guarantee security in the Arctic."
The diplomat further pointed out that Denmark had significantly boosted its defence spending recently, allocating a substantial sum expressly for Arctic and North Atlantic security. "And yes, we demand full recognition for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he added.
Political Moves and Geopolitical Interests
The tensions were further exacerbated by the recent appointment of a US state governor as a representative to Greenland. The appointee had publicly thanked the president, saying it was an "honour" to work in a volunteer role to "make Greenland a part of the US."
Following the events in Venezuela, this envoy praised the president's decisive move, linking it to the broader "war on drugs."
Since assuming office, the American leader has repeatedly alarmed European partners with his stated interest in Greenland. The island is considered vitally strategic for national security and future resource extraction. It currently hosts the most northerly US military base.
Leaving the Door Open to Force
In a notable media appearance, the president refused to rule out the resorting to armed action to gain control of Greenland. This stance comes amid intensifying global rivalry in the polar region. "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 "very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for international security."
Mounting Friction and Indigenous Resistance
In response to this constant "rhetoric" 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 delivered 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 reveals a nuanced picture. While a vast majority of the territory's residents seek independence from Copenhagen, there is also scant desire to become part of the United States. The territory has had the legal right to seek sovereignty for many years.
Expert View: A Credible Scenario?
Military experts are now re-evaluating the possibility of such a move. One policy director specializing in military analysis conceded she had once discounted the rhetoric but was "now not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to deploy a couple hundred or a few thousand troops inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could do anything about it," she concluded.
