The recent US-led military action in Venezuela and the capture of its president have renewed apprehension regarding America's ambitions on Greenland. Members of the ex-president's political movement have allegedly focused on the vast island following the events in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Messages and Official Backlash
Only hours following the start of the Caracas campaign, a prominent conservative commentator, who is married to a high-ranking presidential aide, shared a suggestive map. The picture depicted Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, accompanied by single-word message: "SOON."
This overt threat to claim the resource-abundant land, which is a part of the NATO alliance, provoked swift and firm condemnation from Danish officials.
"Denmark and the US are strong partners and should keep cooperate as such. American security is also the Arctic's and our security," declared the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "Our nation and the United States collaborate to guarantee security in the North."
The diplomat further pointed out that Denmark had significantly increased its military budget this year, earmarking a large amount specifically for Northern and regional security. "Furthermore, we expect complete recognition for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he added.
Political Appointments and Geopolitical Goals
The situation were further complicated by the recent appointment of a Southern governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had openly expressed gratitude to the president, saying it was an "honour" to work in a unpaid capacity to "bring Greenland into the US."
After the events in Venezuela, this representative commended the administration's decisive move, linking it to the wider "war on drugs."
Since returning to office, the US president has repeatedly unnerved European allies with his expressed interest in Greenland. The territory is viewed as vitally important for defence and future resource extraction. It already houses the most northerly US military base.
Leaving the Door Open to Military Action
In a significant television appearance, the president refused to exclude the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This position comes during growing 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 look after, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for global security."
Mounting Tensions and Indigenous Resistance
In reaction to this persistent "drumbeat" of threats, Danish intelligence service took the extraordinary step last month of classifying the United States as a "security risk."
The prime ministers of both Greenland issued a unified and forceful rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not take over other countries."
Surveys in Greenland shows a nuanced picture. While a overwhelming percentage of the territory's inhabitants desire self-rule from Denmark, there is also little to no appetite to become part of the United States. The island has had the legal right to seek independence for over a decade.
Analyst View: A Plausible Scenario?
Some analysts are increasingly re-evaluating the likelihood of such a move. One thinktank analyst specializing in defence conceded she had once dismissed the rhetoric but was "now not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to station a couple hundred or a couple thousand soldiers on Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could do anything about it," she concluded.
