The latest American bombardment in the South American nation and the detention of its president have sparked worry regarding Washington's designs on Greenland. Followers of the former president's political movement have allegedly focused on the resource-rich landmass in the wake of the operations in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Messages and Official Outrage
Merely hours following the commencement of the Venezuelan operation, a prominent right-wing commentator, who is the spouse of a high-ranking White House aide, shared a symbolic map. The graphic showed Greenland covered in the American flag, accompanied by cryptic caption: "SOON."
This overt suggestion to claim the resource-abundant region, which is a part of the NATO alliance, provoked swift and strong criticism from Danish representatives.
"Denmark and the US are strong partners and should continue to work together as such. US security is equally the Arctic's and Denmark’s security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the United States work together to ensure security in the Arctic."
The ambassador further highlighted that Denmark had substantially increased its defence spending recently, earmarking a substantial amount expressly for Arctic and regional defence. "Furthermore, we expect complete respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark," he added.
Administrative Appointments and Strategic Interests
The situation were additionally complicated by the previous naming of a US state governor as a representative to Greenland. The appointee had publicly expressed gratitude to the president, saying it was an "honour" to work in a volunteer role to "bring Greenland into the US."
After the events in Venezuela, this representative praised the administration's decisive move, linking it to the wider "fight against narcotics."
Ever since returning to office, the US president has consistently alarmed European partners with his expressed desire in Greenland. The island is viewed as vitally important for national security and future mineral exploitation. It currently hosts the most northerly US air base.
Leaving the Door Open to Military Action
In a notable television appearance, the president declined to exclude the use of military force to gain control of Greenland. This stance comes amid 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 look after, and we’ll value them... But we need that for international security."
Mounting Friction and Local Resistance
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 "security risk."
The leaders of both Greenland issued a joint and stern rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not take over other countries."
Surveys in Greenland reveals a complex picture. While a vast majority of the island's residents desire independence from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously scant appetite to join the United States. The island has had the legal right to declare sovereignty for many years.
Analyst View: A Credible Threat?
Some analysts are increasingly re-evaluating the possibility of such a action. One thinktank director specializing in military analysis admitted she had previously 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 couple thousand troops on Greenland, and it's not clear to me who could intervene about it," she concluded.
