The latest US-led bombardment in the South American nation and the seizure of its leader have renewed worry regarding Washington's designs on the Arctic territory. Members of the former president's political movement have reportedly set their sights on the strategically important island following the events in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Messages and Diplomatic Backlash
Merely hours after the start of the Caracas campaign, a well-known conservative podcaster, who is married to a senior presidential adviser, shared a symbolic image. The picture showed Greenland covered in the American flag, with the cryptic message: "SOON."
This overt suggestion to claim the resource-abundant region, which is a part of the NATO alliance, provoked immediate and firm criticism from Denmark's officials.
"Denmark and the US are close allies and should continue to work together as such. US security is also the Arctic's and Denmark’s security," stated the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US work together to ensure security in the North."
The diplomat additionally pointed out that the kingdom had substantially boosted its defence spending recently, earmarking a large amount specifically for Arctic and regional security. "Furthermore, we demand complete respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark," he emphasized.
Political Appointments and Strategic Interests
The tensions were additionally complicated by the recent naming of a Southern governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had publicly thanked the president, saying it was an "privilege" to work in a volunteer capacity to "bring Greenland into the US."
Following the military action in Venezuela, this envoy praised the administration's actions, linking it to the wider "war on drugs."
Since assuming office, the American leader has repeatedly alarmed transatlantic partners with his stated interest in Greenland. The island is considered vitally strategic for national security and potential resource extraction. It currently houses the northernmost US military base.
Refusing to Rule Out Force
In a notable media appearance, the leader refused to rule out the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This position comes during intensifying great-power 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 look after, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for global security."
Mounting Friction 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 "potential threat."
The leaders of Denmark and Greenland delivered a unified and forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot take over other countries."
Surveys in Greenland shows a complex picture. While a overwhelming percentage of the territory's residents desire self-rule from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously scant desire to become part of the United States. The island has had the option to declare independence for over a decade.
Expert Assessment: A Plausible Scenario?
Some experts are now re-evaluating the possibility of such a move. One thinktank analyst focusing in military analysis conceded she had once discounted the rhetoric but was "currently not so sure."
"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to deploy a few hundred or a couple thousand soldiers inside of Greenland, and it's not clear to me which power could intervene about it," she concluded.
