The recent US-led military action in Venezuela and the capture of its president have sparked apprehension regarding Washington's designs on the Arctic territory. Supporters of the former president's base have reportedly focused on the strategically important landmass following the events in South America.
Inflammatory Messages and Official Backlash
Merely hours following the start of the Venezuelan operation, a prominent conservative podcaster, who is married to a high-ranking presidential adviser, posted a suggestive image. The picture showed Greenland draped with the stars and stripes, accompanied by cryptic message: "SOON."
This blatant suggestion to annex the resource-abundant region, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, provoked swift and firm criticism from Danish officials.
"Denmark and the US are strong partners and should continue to cooperate as such. US security is equally the Arctic's and Denmark’s security," declared the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "Our nation and the US work together to ensure security in the Arctic."
The ambassador further pointed out that Denmark had significantly boosted its military budget recently, earmarking a large sum expressly for Arctic and regional defence. "And yes, we expect complete respect for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he added.
Political Appointments and Geopolitical Interests
The situation were further exacerbated by the recent appointment of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had openly expressed gratitude to the president, stating it was an "honour" to serve in a unpaid capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."
After the military action in Venezuela, this representative commended the president's actions, connecting it to the broader "war on drugs."
Since assuming office, the American leader has consistently unnerved European allies with his expressed desire in Greenland. The territory is considered critically strategic for national security and potential resource extraction. It currently hosts the northernmost US military base.
Leaving the Door Open to Force
In a significant media interview, the president refused to exclude the resorting to armed action to gain control of Greenland. This stance comes amid intensifying great-power competition 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 take care of, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for global security."
Mounting Friction and Indigenous Resistance
In reaction to this persistent "rhetoric" of threats, Denmark's intelligence service took the extraordinary step last month of labelling the United States as a "security risk."
The leaders of both Greenland issued a unified and stern statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot take over other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland reveals a complex picture. While a overwhelming percentage of the territory's residents desire independence from Denmark, there is also scant appetite to become part of the United States. The island has had the legal right to declare independence for over a decade.
Analyst View: A Credible Threat?
Military experts are now reconsidering the likelihood of such a action. One thinktank director focusing in military analysis conceded she had once discounted the sabre-rattling 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 not clear to me who could do anything about it," she concluded.
