Recent US-led military action in Venezuela and the seizure of its president have renewed worry regarding Washington's ambitions on Greenland. Members of the former president's political movement have allegedly set their sights on the resource-rich landmass following the events in the southern hemisphere.
Provocative Posts and Diplomatic Outrage
Merely hours following the start of the Venezuelan campaign, a well-known conservative commentator, who is the spouse of a high-ranking White House aide, posted a symbolic image. The picture showed Greenland draped with the American flag, accompanied by cryptic message: "SOON."
This overt threat to absorb the resource-abundant region, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, provoked immediate and firm condemnation from Danish representatives.
"We are close allies and should continue to work together as such. American 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 guarantee security in the North."
The diplomat additionally highlighted that the kingdom had substantially boosted its defence spending recently, earmarking a substantial amount specifically for Arctic and North Atlantic defence. "Furthermore, we expect full respect for the territorial integrity of the our realm," he added.
Administrative Moves and Strategic Goals
The situation were additionally exacerbated by the recent appointment of a Southern governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had publicly thanked the president, saying it was an "privilege" to work in a volunteer capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."
After the military action in Venezuela, this envoy commended the administration's actions, connecting it to the wider "fight against narcotics."
Ever since assuming office, the US president has repeatedly unnerved European allies with his expressed interest in Greenland. The island is considered critically strategic for defence and future mineral exploitation. It currently hosts the northernmost US military base.
Refusing to Rule Out Force
In a notable media interview, the president declined to exclude the resorting to military force to acquire Greenland. This stance comes amid intensifying 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 described Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll value them... But we need that for international security."
Mounting Tensions and Local Opposition
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 "potential threat."
The prime ministers of both Greenland issued a unified and forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot take over other countries."
Surveys in Greenland shows a nuanced sentiment. While a overwhelming percentage of the island's inhabitants seek independence from Denmark, there is simultaneously scant appetite to become part of the United States. The island has had the legal right to declare independence for many years.
Analyst View: A Plausible Scenario?
Some analysts are increasingly re-evaluating the possibility of such a action. One policy analyst focusing in military analysis conceded she had once dismissed the sabre-rattling but was "now not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to deploy a few hundred or a couple thousand soldiers on Greenland, and it's not clear to me which power could intervene about it," she observed.
