The recent US-led strike in Venezuela and the detention of its leader have renewed worry regarding Washington's designs on the Arctic territory. Followers of the former president's political movement have reportedly set their sights on the vast landmass in the wake of the operations in South America.
Inflammatory Messages and Diplomatic Backlash
Merely a short time after the start of the Caracas campaign, a well-known right-wing commentator, who is married to a senior White House adviser, posted a suggestive map. The graphic depicted Greenland covered in the American flag, accompanied by cryptic message: "COMING."
This overt suggestion to claim the mineral-rich region, which is a part of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered immediate and strong criticism from Denmark's officials.
"We are strong partners and should keep work together as such. US security is equally Greenland’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 diplomat further pointed out that Denmark had substantially increased its military budget this year, earmarking a substantial sum specifically for Northern and regional security. "And yes, we expect complete respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark," he emphasized.
Administrative Appointments and Geopolitical Goals
The tensions were additionally complicated by the previous naming of a Southern governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had openly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "privilege" to serve in a volunteer capacity to "bring Greenland into the US."
After the events in Venezuela, this envoy praised the administration's actions, linking it to the wider "war on drugs."
Ever since assuming office, the US president has repeatedly unnerved European allies with his expressed interest in Greenland. The territory is considered critically important for defence and future mineral exploitation. It currently houses the most northerly US air base.
Leaving the Door Open to Military Action
In a notable television interview, the leader refused to rule out the use of military force to acquire Greenland. This position comes amid growing global 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 characterized Greenland as having a "tiny amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll value them... But we need that for international security."
Growing Friction and Local Opposition
In reaction to this constant "drumbeat" of threats, Danish intelligence service took the unprecedented step last month of classifying the United States as a "security risk."
The leaders of Denmark and Greenland issued a unified and forceful rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not annex other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland reveals a nuanced sentiment. While a vast majority of the island's inhabitants desire independence from Copenhagen, there is also scant desire to join the United States. The territory has had the legal right to seek sovereignty for over a decade.
Expert Assessment: A Credible Scenario?
Some experts are increasingly reconsidering the likelihood of such a action. One thinktank director focusing in defence admitted 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 on Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could intervene about it," she observed.
