Recent American strike in Venezuela and the capture of its leader have renewed apprehension regarding Washington's designs on the Arctic territory. Supporters of the former president's base have allegedly focused on the strategically important landmass in the wake of the operations in the southern hemisphere.
Provocative Posts and Diplomatic Outrage
Only hours after the start of the Caracas campaign, a prominent conservative commentator, who is the spouse of a senior White House aide, posted a suggestive map. The picture showed Greenland covered in the American flag, accompanied by single-word message: "SOON."
This blatant threat to absorb the resource-abundant region, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, provoked swift and strong criticism from Denmark's officials.
"Denmark and the US are close allies and should keep work together 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 US work together to ensure security in the Arctic."
The diplomat further highlighted that the kingdom had substantially increased its defence spending this year, allocating a substantial sum expressly for Northern and North Atlantic defence. "Furthermore, we demand full respect for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he added.
Political Appointments and Strategic Interests
The situation were additionally complicated by the previous appointment of a Southern governor as a representative to Greenland. The appointee had openly thanked the president, stating it was an "honour" to serve in a volunteer capacity to "bring Greenland into the US."
After the military action in Venezuela, this envoy praised the administration's decisive move, connecting it to the broader "fight against narcotics."
Ever since assuming office, the US president has repeatedly unnerved European allies with his expressed interest in Greenland. The island is considered vitally strategic for national security and future resource extraction. It currently houses the northernmost US air base.
Refusing to Rule Out Force
In a significant media interview, the president refused to exclude the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This position comes amid intensifying great-power rivalry 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 remarked.
He described Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll value them... But we need that for global security."
Mounting Tensions and Indigenous Opposition
In reaction to this constant "rhetoric" of threats, Denmark's intelligence service took the extraordinary step last month of classifying the United States as a "potential threat."
The leaders of Denmark and Greenland issued a unified and stern statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not annex other countries."
Surveys in Greenland shows a complex picture. While a overwhelming percentage of the island's inhabitants desire self-rule from Copenhagen, there is also scant desire to become part of the United States. The island has had the legal right to seek independence for over a decade.
Expert View: A Plausible Scenario?
Military experts are now reconsidering the likelihood of such a action. One thinktank analyst specializing in defence conceded she had once dismissed the rhetoric but was "now not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to deploy a few hundred or a few thousand soldiers on Greenland, and it's not clear to me which power could do anything about it," she concluded.
