The recent US-led military action in Venezuela and the detention of its president have sparked unease regarding Washington's ambitions on Greenland. Supporters of the ex-president's political movement have reportedly set their sights on the vast island following the operations in South America.
Inflammatory Posts and Official Outrage
Only hours after the initiation of the Venezuelan campaign, a well-known right-wing commentator, who is married to a senior White House adviser, posted a symbolic map. The picture showed Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, accompanied by single-word message: "COMING."
This blatant threat to claim the mineral-rich region, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, provoked swift and strong condemnation from Danish representatives.
"We are close allies and should continue to cooperate as such. US security is equally Greenland’s and Denmark’s security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US work together to guarantee security in the North."
The ambassador further highlighted that the kingdom had substantially boosted its defence spending this year, allocating a substantial amount expressly for Arctic and regional security. "And yes, we demand complete recognition for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he emphasized.
Administrative Appointments and Geopolitical Interests
The situation were further exacerbated by the previous naming of a US state governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had publicly expressed gratitude to the president, stating it was an "honour" to serve in a unpaid capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."
After the military action in Venezuela, this representative praised the president's decisive move, linking it to the broader "fight against narcotics."
Since returning to office, the American leader has consistently unnerved transatlantic partners with his stated interest in Greenland. The island is viewed as critically strategic for national security and potential mineral exploitation. It currently houses the northernmost US military base.
Leaving the Door Open to Force
In a notable media interview, the leader declined to rule out the resorting to armed action to gain control of Greenland. This position comes during intensifying 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 stated.
He described 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."
Mounting Friction and Indigenous Opposition
In reaction to this persistent "rhetoric" of intent, Danish security agency took the extraordinary step last month of labelling the United States as a "security risk."
The prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland delivered a joint and forceful statement: "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 complex picture. While a overwhelming percentage of the island's residents desire self-rule from Denmark, there is simultaneously little to no desire to join the United States. The territory has had the legal right to declare independence for over a decade.
Expert View: A Plausible Scenario?
Some analysts are increasingly re-evaluating the possibility of such a action. One thinktank analyst specializing in military analysis admitted she had once discounted the rhetoric but was "currently not so sure."
"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to station a couple hundred or a couple thousand troops inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could do anything about it," she concluded.
