Recent US-led bombardment in Venezuela and the seizure of its leader have sparked worry regarding Washington's ambitions on the Arctic territory. Followers of the former president's base have reportedly set their sights on the strategically important island following the events in South America.
Provocative Messages and Diplomatic Backlash
Merely a short time following the start of the Caracas campaign, a well-known right-wing podcaster, who is the spouse of a senior presidential aide, shared a symbolic map. The graphic depicted Greenland draped with the stars and stripes, accompanied by cryptic message: "SOON."
This blatant suggestion to absorb the resource-abundant land, which is a part of the NATO alliance, provoked immediate and firm condemnation from Danish representatives.
"Denmark and the US are close allies and should keep work together 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 work together to guarantee security in the Arctic."
The ambassador further highlighted that Denmark had significantly boosted its defence spending recently, earmarking a substantial sum expressly for Arctic and North Atlantic security. "Furthermore, we expect full respect for the territorial integrity of the our realm," he added.
Administrative Appointments and Strategic Interests
The situation were additionally complicated by the recent naming of a US state governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had publicly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, stating it was an "honour" to serve in a unpaid capacity to "bring Greenland into the US."
After the military action in Venezuela, this representative praised the administration's decisive move, linking it to the wider "fight against narcotics."
Ever since assuming office, the US president has repeatedly alarmed transatlantic partners with his stated interest in Greenland. The territory is considered critically important for defence and future mineral exploitation. It already houses the northernmost US military base.
Leaving the Door Open to Force
In a notable media interview, the president declined to rule out the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This position comes amid intensifying great-power competition 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 remarked.
He described Greenland as having a "tiny amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll value them... But we need that for international security."
Mounting Tensions and Indigenous Resistance
In response to this persistent "drumbeat" of threats, Danish security agency took the extraordinary step last month of classifying 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 cannot annex other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland reveals a nuanced sentiment. While a vast majority of the island's residents desire self-rule from Denmark, there is simultaneously scant desire to become part of the United States. The territory has had the legal right to seek independence for over a decade.
Analyst View: A Plausible Threat?
Military experts are increasingly re-evaluating the likelihood of such a move. One thinktank director specializing in military analysis admitted she had once discounted the sabre-rattling but was "currently not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to station a few hundred or a couple thousand soldiers inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me who could intervene about it," she concluded.
