The latest US-led bombardment in the South American nation and the capture of its leader have renewed worry regarding Washington's designs on the Arctic territory. Followers of the former president's base have allegedly focused on the resource-rich island following the events in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Posts and Official Backlash
Only hours following the initiation of the Caracas operation, a well-known right-wing podcaster, who is married to a high-ranking White House aide, posted a suggestive map. The picture showed Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, with the single-word caption: "COMING."
This overt threat to absorb the resource-abundant region, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered immediate and firm condemnation from Danish officials.
"Denmark and the US are strong partners and should continue to cooperate as such. US security is equally the Arctic's and Denmark’s security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "Our nation and the United States collaborate to guarantee security in the North."
The ambassador additionally highlighted that Denmark had substantially boosted its military budget this year, earmarking a large amount specifically for Arctic and regional security. "And yes, we demand complete recognition for the territorial integrity of the our realm," he added.
Administrative Appointments and Geopolitical Goals
The situation were additionally exacerbated by the previous appointment of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The appointee had openly expressed gratitude to the president, stating 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 actions, linking it to the wider "war on drugs."
Ever since assuming office, the US president has repeatedly unnerved transatlantic allies with his expressed interest in Greenland. The island is considered vitally strategic for defence and future resource extraction. It already hosts the northernmost US air base.
Refusing to Rule Out Military Action
In a significant television interview, the president refused to exclude the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This stance comes during growing 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 remarked.
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."
Mounting Tensions and Indigenous Resistance
In reaction to this constant "rhetoric" of threats, Denmark's security agency took the extraordinary step last month of classifying the United States as a "security risk."
The leaders of both Greenland issued a joint and stern rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot annex other countries."
Surveys in Greenland reveals a complex picture. While a overwhelming percentage of the island's residents seek independence from Copenhagen, there is also scant desire to become part of the United States. The island has had the legal right to declare independence for over a decade.
Analyst Assessment: A Plausible Threat?
Some analysts are now reconsidering the likelihood of such a action. One policy analyst focusing in defence conceded she had once dismissed the sabre-rattling but was "now not so sure."
"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to deploy a few hundred or a couple thousand soldiers inside of Greenland, and it's not clear to me which power could intervene about it," she observed.
