The latest US-led strike in Venezuela and the seizure of its president have sparked unease regarding America's ambitions on the Arctic territory. Members of the ex-president's base have reportedly turned their attention to the resource-rich landmass in the wake of the operations in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Messages and Official Outrage
Merely a short time after the commencement of the Venezuelan campaign, a well-known conservative commentator, who is the spouse of a senior presidential adviser, posted a symbolic image. The picture showed Greenland covered in the American flag, accompanied by single-word message: "SOON."
This blatant threat to absorb the resource-abundant region, which is a part of the North Atlantic alliance, provoked swift and firm condemnation from Danish representatives.
"Denmark and the US are strong partners and should continue to cooperate as such. American security is also the Arctic's and Denmark’s security," declared the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "Our nation and the US collaborate to guarantee security in the Arctic."
The ambassador additionally highlighted that the kingdom had substantially increased its military budget recently, earmarking a substantial amount specifically for Arctic and regional security. "Furthermore, we demand full respect for the territorial integrity of the our realm," he emphasized.
Administrative Appointments and Geopolitical Goals
The situation were further exacerbated by the previous naming of a US state governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had publicly thanked the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "privilege" to work in a volunteer capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."
After the events in Venezuela, this representative praised the president's decisive move, linking it to the wider "fight against narcotics."
Ever since returning to office, the American leader has repeatedly unnerved transatlantic allies with his expressed interest in Greenland. The territory is considered critically important for national security and future mineral exploitation. It currently hosts the northernmost US air base.
Leaving the Door Open to Military Action
In a significant television appearance, the leader refused to rule out the use of military force to gain control of Greenland. This stance comes during growing great-power 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 remarked.
He described Greenland as having a "tiny amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll value them... But we need that for global security."
Mounting Friction and Indigenous Opposition
In response to this persistent "drumbeat" of threats, Denmark's security agency took the extraordinary step last month of labelling the United States as a "potential threat."
The leaders of both Greenland issued a joint and stern 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 vast majority of the territory's inhabitants seek independence 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 many years.
Analyst View: A Plausible Scenario?
Military experts are increasingly re-evaluating the possibility of such a action. One thinktank director focusing in military analysis conceded she had previously dismissed the sabre-rattling but was "now not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to deploy a few hundred or a couple thousand troops inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could do anything about it," she observed.
