Recent US-led bombardment in Venezuela and the seizure of its president have renewed worry regarding Washington's ambitions on Greenland. Supporters of the ex-president's political movement have allegedly turned their attention to the strategically important landmass in the wake of the operations in South America.
Provocative Messages and Diplomatic Outrage
Only hours following the commencement of the Caracas campaign, a well-known right-wing podcaster, who is married to a senior White House aide, shared a suggestive map. The picture showed Greenland draped with the stars and stripes, accompanied by cryptic caption: "SOON."
This overt threat to annex the resource-abundant land, which is a part of the NATO alliance, triggered immediate and strong condemnation from Danish representatives.
"Denmark and the US are close allies and should keep cooperate as such. US security is equally Greenland’s and Denmark’s security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US collaborate to guarantee security in the North."
The ambassador further pointed out that the kingdom had significantly increased its defence spending this year, earmarking a large amount expressly for Arctic and North Atlantic security. "Furthermore, we expect full respect for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he added.
Political Appointments and Geopolitical Interests
The tensions were additionally exacerbated by the recent appointment of a Southern governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had publicly thanked the president, stating it was an "privilege" to serve in a volunteer capacity to "bring Greenland into the US."
After the events in Venezuela, this representative praised the administration's actions, connecting it to the wider "war on drugs."
Ever since returning to office, the US president has consistently alarmed transatlantic partners with his expressed interest in Greenland. The island is viewed as critically strategic for defence and future resource extraction. It already hosts the most northerly US military base.
Refusing to Rule Out Military Action
In a notable television interview, the leader refused to exclude the resorting to armed action to acquire Greenland. This stance comes during 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 characterized Greenland as having a "tiny amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll value them... But we need that for global security."
Growing Friction and Indigenous Opposition
In response to this persistent "rhetoric" of threats, Danish intelligence service took the unprecedented step last month of classifying the United States as a "potential threat."
The leaders of both Greenland issued a unified and forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not take over other countries."
Surveys in Greenland shows a complex sentiment. While a overwhelming percentage of the island's inhabitants seek self-rule from Denmark, there is also scant appetite to join the United States. The territory has had the legal right to declare independence for over a decade.
Expert View: A Plausible Scenario?
Military experts are increasingly re-evaluating the likelihood of such a move. One policy director specializing in defence conceded she had previously dismissed the sabre-rattling but was "now not so sure."
"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to station 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 concluded.
