The recent US-led strike in Venezuela and the detention of its president have sparked worry regarding Washington's ambitions on the Arctic territory. Supporters of the former president's political movement have allegedly turned their attention to the strategically important landmass following the operations in the southern hemisphere.
Provocative Posts and Diplomatic Backlash
Merely hours after the initiation of the Venezuelan campaign, a prominent right-wing commentator, who is the spouse of a senior White House adviser, shared a suggestive image. The graphic showed Greenland covered in the American flag, accompanied by single-word message: "COMING."
This overt suggestion to absorb the resource-abundant region, which is a member of the NATO alliance, triggered immediate and strong condemnation from Danish representatives.
"Denmark and the US are strong partners and should continue to work together 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 collaborate to guarantee security in the North."
The diplomat additionally highlighted that the kingdom had significantly increased its military budget recently, earmarking a substantial amount specifically for Arctic and North Atlantic security. "Furthermore, we demand full respect for the territorial integrity of the our realm," he added.
Administrative Appointments and Strategic Goals
The tensions were additionally exacerbated by the previous naming of a US state governor as a representative to Greenland. The appointee had publicly thanked the president, stating it was an "privilege" to work in a volunteer capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."
After the military action in Venezuela, this representative praised the administration's decisive move, linking it to the broader "fight against narcotics."
Ever since assuming office, the US president has repeatedly unnerved transatlantic partners with his expressed desire in Greenland. The territory is viewed as critically important for national security and potential mineral exploitation. It currently houses the most northerly US air base.
Refusing to Rule Out Force
In a notable media appearance, the leader declined to rule out the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This position comes during intensifying great-power rivalry 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 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 Tensions and Indigenous Opposition
In response to this persistent "drumbeat" of threats, Danish security agency 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."
Public opinion in Greenland reveals a complex picture. While a vast majority of the territory's residents seek self-rule from Denmark, there is simultaneously scant appetite to become part of the United States. The island has had the option to seek independence for over a decade.
Analyst View: A Credible Scenario?
Military analysts are now re-evaluating the possibility of such a action. One thinktank director focusing in defence admitted she had once discounted the sabre-rattling but was "currently not so sure."
"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to station a few hundred or a couple thousand troops on Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could do anything about it," she concluded.
