The recent US-led bombardment in Venezuela and the seizure of its leader have renewed unease regarding America's ambitions on Greenland. Followers of the ex-president's base have reportedly turned their attention to the resource-rich island following the operations in South America.
Inflammatory Messages and Official Backlash
Only hours following the start of the Venezuelan operation, a prominent right-wing podcaster, who is married to a high-ranking White House aide, posted a suggestive image. The picture showed Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, with the single-word message: "SOON."
This blatant suggestion to absorb the resource-abundant land, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered immediate and strong condemnation from Danish representatives.
"We are close allies and should continue to work together as such. US security is equally the Arctic's and our security," stated the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US work together to ensure security in the North."
The diplomat further pointed out that the kingdom had significantly increased its military budget this year, allocating a substantial sum expressly for Arctic and North Atlantic defence. "Furthermore, we expect full respect for the territorial integrity of the our realm," he added.
Administrative Appointments and Strategic Goals
The tensions were further exacerbated by the recent appointment of a Southern governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The appointee had openly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, 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 administration's actions, linking it to the broader "war on drugs."
Ever since returning to office, the US president has repeatedly unnerved transatlantic allies with his expressed interest in Greenland. The territory is considered vitally strategic for defence and future mineral exploitation. It currently houses the northernmost US military base.
Refusing to Rule Out Military Action
In a significant media appearance, the leader declined to exclude the resorting to military force 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 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 international security."
Mounting Tensions and Local Opposition
In reaction to this persistent "drumbeat" of threats, Denmark's security agency took the extraordinary step last month of labelling the United States as a "potential threat."
The leaders of both Greenland delivered a unified and stern rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not take over other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland shows a nuanced picture. While a vast majority of the island's inhabitants desire self-rule from Denmark, there is simultaneously little to no appetite to join the United States. The territory has had the option to seek sovereignty for many years.
Expert View: A Credible Scenario?
Military experts are now reconsidering the possibility of such a action. One policy director focusing in defence conceded she had previously discounted the rhetoric but was "now not so sure."
"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to station a few hundred or a few thousand soldiers on Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could do anything about it," she concluded.
