Recent US-led bombardment in Venezuela and the detention of its president have sparked apprehension regarding Washington's designs on Greenland. Followers of the former president's political movement have allegedly set their sights on the strategically important landmass following the events in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Posts and Diplomatic Backlash
Merely a short time after the commencement of the Venezuelan campaign, a well-known right-wing commentator, who is married to a senior White House adviser, posted a symbolic map. The graphic showed Greenland draped with the American flag, accompanied by single-word caption: "COMING."
This overt suggestion to annex the mineral-rich region, which is a part of the NATO alliance, triggered immediate and firm criticism from Danish officials.
"We are close allies and should keep cooperate as such. US security is also the Arctic's and our security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US collaborate to guarantee security in the Arctic."
The diplomat additionally pointed out that Denmark had substantially increased its defence spending this year, allocating a substantial amount expressly for Arctic and regional defence. "Furthermore, we demand full respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark," he added.
Political Appointments and Geopolitical Interests
The tensions were additionally complicated by the recent naming of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had openly thanked the president, saying it was an "honour" to work in a volunteer role to "make Greenland a part of the US."
Following the military action in Venezuela, this envoy commended the administration's actions, linking it to the broader "war on drugs."
Ever since assuming office, the US president has repeatedly alarmed transatlantic allies with his stated interest in Greenland. The island is viewed as critically strategic for defence and future mineral exploitation. It already houses the most northerly US military base.
Leaving the Door Open to Military Action
In a significant media appearance, the president declined to exclude the use of armed action to gain control of Greenland. This stance comes amid growing 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 stated.
He characterized Greenland as having a "tiny amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for global security."
Growing Tensions and Indigenous Resistance
In response to this constant "drumbeat" of threats, Denmark's security agency took the unprecedented step last month of classifying the United States as a "potential threat."
The prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland delivered 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 reveals a complex picture. While a vast majority of the island's inhabitants seek self-rule from Copenhagen, there is also little to no desire to join the United States. The island has had the option to seek independence for many years.
Expert Assessment: A Credible Scenario?
Military experts are now re-evaluating the possibility of such a action. One thinktank director specializing in military analysis conceded she had once discounted the sabre-rattling but was "now not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to station a few hundred or a couple thousand troops on Greenland, and it's not clear to me which power could intervene about it," she concluded.
