The recent American military action in the South American nation and the capture of its leader have ignited unease regarding Washington's ambitions on Greenland. Followers of the ex-president's political movement have allegedly set their sights on the strategically important landmass in the wake of the events in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Messages and Official Outrage
Only hours after the initiation of the Venezuelan campaign, a well-known conservative podcaster, who is the spouse of a senior presidential aide, posted a suggestive image. The picture depicted Greenland draped with the American flag, with the single-word caption: "SOON."
This overt suggestion to annex the resource-abundant land, which is a part of the North Atlantic alliance, provoked swift and strong criticism from Denmark's representatives.
"Denmark and the US are close allies and should keep cooperate as such. US security is equally Greenland’s and our security," declared the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "Our nation and the United States work together to ensure security in the Arctic."
The diplomat further highlighted that Denmark had significantly boosted its military budget recently, earmarking a substantial sum specifically for Northern and regional security. "Furthermore, we expect complete respect for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he added.
Administrative Moves and Strategic Interests
The tensions were further exacerbated by the recent appointment of a Southern governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had publicly expressed gratitude to the president, stating it was an "honour" to work in a unpaid capacity to "bring Greenland into the US."
Following the events in Venezuela, this envoy commended the president's decisive move, connecting it to the wider "war on drugs."
Ever since returning to office, the US president has consistently unnerved European allies with his expressed desire in Greenland. The territory is viewed as critically important for national security and future mineral exploitation. It already hosts the most northerly US air base.
Refusing to Rule Out Force
In a notable media appearance, the president refused to exclude the resorting to military force to acquire Greenland. This position comes during growing 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 characterized Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll value them... But we need that for global security."
Growing Tensions and Local Opposition
In response to this constant "rhetoric" of threats, Denmark's security agency took the unprecedented step last month of classifying the United States as a "security risk."
The prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland issued a unified and forceful rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot annex other countries."
Surveys in Greenland reveals a nuanced picture. While a overwhelming percentage of the island's inhabitants desire independence from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously little to no desire to become part of the United States. The territory has had the option to declare independence for over a decade.
Analyst View: A Plausible Scenario?
Some analysts are now reconsidering the possibility of such a move. One policy analyst specializing in defence conceded she had once dismissed the sabre-rattling but was "currently not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to station a couple hundred or a few thousand troops on Greenland, and it's not clear to me who could do anything about it," she observed.
