The latest American strike in Venezuela and the detention of its leader have sparked unease regarding America's designs on the Arctic territory. Members of the ex-president's political movement have allegedly turned their attention to the vast landmass following the operations in the southern hemisphere.
Provocative Messages and Diplomatic Backlash
Merely a short time after the start of the Caracas operation, a well-known right-wing podcaster, who is the spouse of a senior White House aide, posted a symbolic map. The graphic showed Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, accompanied by cryptic message: "SOON."
This blatant threat to absorb the resource-abundant land, which is a part of the NATO alliance, provoked swift and firm condemnation from Denmark's officials.
"We are close allies and should keep cooperate as such. American 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 guarantee security in the Arctic."
The ambassador further pointed out that Denmark had substantially boosted its military budget this year, earmarking a substantial sum expressly for Arctic and North Atlantic security. "Furthermore, we demand complete respect for the territorial integrity of the our realm," he emphasized.
Administrative Moves and Strategic Interests
The tensions were further exacerbated by the recent appointment of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The appointee had publicly thanked the president, stating it was an "privilege" to work in a unpaid capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."
Following the military action in Venezuela, this representative praised the president's actions, connecting it to the wider "war on drugs."
Ever since assuming office, the US president has consistently unnerved transatlantic partners with his expressed interest in Greenland. The territory is considered vitally important for defence and future resource extraction. It already hosts the most northerly US military base.
Refusing to Rule Out Force
In a significant television appearance, the president declined to rule out the resorting to armed action to acquire Greenland. This position comes amid intensifying global 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 "very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for global security."
Growing Tensions and Local Resistance
In response to this constant "rhetoric" of threats, Denmark's intelligence service took the unprecedented step last month of classifying the United States as a "security risk."
The prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland issued a unified and stern rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot take over other countries."
Surveys in Greenland reveals a complex picture. While a vast majority of the island's inhabitants desire self-rule from Denmark, there is simultaneously little to no desire to become part of the United States. The territory has had the legal right to declare sovereignty for many years.
Expert Assessment: A Credible Threat?
Military analysts are increasingly re-evaluating the possibility of such a action. One thinktank analyst focusing in defence admitted she had previously dismissed the rhetoric but was "now not so sure."
"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to station a couple hundred or a couple thousand soldiers on Greenland, and it's unclear to me who could intervene about it," she concluded.
