Recent US-led strike in Venezuela and the detention of its leader have ignited worry regarding Washington's ambitions on Greenland. Followers of the former president's base have reportedly turned their attention to the strategically important island in the wake of the operations in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Messages and Official Backlash
Only a short time after the initiation of the Caracas campaign, a prominent right-wing podcaster, who is married to a senior presidential aide, shared a symbolic map. The picture showed Greenland draped with the American flag, accompanied by single-word message: "SOON."
This blatant threat to claim the resource-abundant land, which is a part of the NATO alliance, provoked swift and strong criticism from Danish representatives.
"Denmark and the US are close allies and should continue to cooperate as such. American security is also Greenland’s and Denmark’s security," declared the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "Our nation and the United States work together to ensure security in the North."
The diplomat further highlighted that the kingdom had significantly boosted its defence spending recently, allocating a substantial sum expressly for Northern and regional defence. "Furthermore, we expect full respect for the territorial integrity of the our realm," he emphasized.
Political Appointments and Strategic Goals
The situation were further complicated by the recent naming of a US state governor as a representative to Greenland. The appointee 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 envoy commended the president's decisive move, linking it to the broader "fight against narcotics."
Since returning to office, the US president has repeatedly unnerved European partners with his expressed interest in Greenland. The island is considered vitally strategic for national security and potential mineral exploitation. It already houses the northernmost US military base.
Refusing to Rule Out Force
In a notable media appearance, the president refused to rule out the resorting to military force 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 "very small amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for international security."
Growing Friction and Indigenous Resistance
In reaction to this persistent "drumbeat" of threats, Danish intelligence service took the extraordinary step last month of labelling the United States as a "security risk."
The leaders of both Greenland issued a joint and forceful rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot take over other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland shows a nuanced picture. While a overwhelming percentage of the island's residents seek independence from Copenhagen, there is also little to no desire to join the United States. The island has had the legal right to seek independence for many years.
Expert Assessment: A Credible Scenario?
Some experts are now reconsidering the possibility of such a move. One thinktank analyst focusing in defence admitted she had previously discounted the rhetoric but was "now not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to station a few hundred or a couple thousand troops inside of Greenland, and it's not clear to me who could do anything about it," she concluded.
