The latest US-led strike in the South American nation and the capture of its leader have sparked worry regarding America's designs on Greenland. Supporters of the ex-president's political movement have reportedly focused on the vast landmass in the wake of the operations in South America.
Inflammatory Posts and Official Backlash
Merely hours after the initiation of the Caracas campaign, a prominent conservative podcaster, who is the spouse of a senior White House adviser, shared a symbolic map. The picture showed Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, accompanied by cryptic message: "SOON."
This blatant suggestion to claim the mineral-rich region, which is a part of the North Atlantic alliance, provoked immediate and firm condemnation from Denmark's officials.
"We are strong partners and should keep work together as such. American security is also the Arctic's and our security," stated the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "Our nation and the United States collaborate to ensure security in the North."
The ambassador further highlighted that Denmark had substantially boosted its defence spending recently, allocating a substantial amount specifically for Arctic and North Atlantic security. "And yes, we expect complete recognition for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he added.
Administrative Appointments and Strategic Interests
The tensions were further exacerbated by the recent appointment of a US state governor as a representative to Greenland. The appointee had openly thanked the president, saying it was an "privilege" to work in a unpaid role to "make Greenland a part of the US."
After the events in Venezuela, this envoy commended the administration's actions, linking it to the broader "war on drugs."
Since assuming office, the US president has repeatedly alarmed transatlantic partners with his stated desire in Greenland. The island is viewed as vitally strategic for national security and future resource extraction. It currently houses the most northerly US military base.
Leaving the Door Open to Military Action
In a significant television interview, the president refused to rule out the resorting to armed action to acquire Greenland. This stance comes amid 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 "tiny amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for international security."
Growing Friction and Indigenous Resistance
In reaction to this persistent "rhetoric" of intent, Denmark's security agency took the extraordinary step last month of labelling the United States as a "security risk."
The prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland issued a unified and forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot take over other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland shows a complex picture. While a vast majority of the island's residents seek independence from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously little to no desire to join the United States. The territory has had the legal right to seek independence for over a decade.
Analyst View: A Plausible Threat?
Some experts are increasingly re-evaluating the possibility of such a action. One thinktank director specializing in military analysis admitted she had previously dismissed the rhetoric but was "currently not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to deploy a couple hundred or a few thousand troops on Greenland, and it's unclear to me who could do anything about it," she observed.
