The latest American strike in the South American nation and the detention of its leader have ignited worry regarding America's designs on the Arctic territory. Members of the former president's base have allegedly turned their attention to the vast island following the operations in South America.
Provocative Messages and Official Backlash
Only a short time following the initiation of the Caracas operation, a prominent conservative commentator, who is married to a senior White House aide, posted a symbolic image. The graphic depicted Greenland draped with the stars and stripes, accompanied by cryptic caption: "SOON."
This overt suggestion to absorb the resource-abundant land, which is a part of the NATO alliance, provoked immediate and firm criticism from Denmark's officials.
"Denmark and the US are strong partners and should continue to cooperate as such. American security is also the Arctic's and Denmark’s security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US work together to guarantee security in the North."
The diplomat further highlighted that Denmark had significantly increased its military budget recently, earmarking a large sum expressly for Northern and North Atlantic defence. "And yes, we expect complete respect for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he emphasized.
Political Appointments and Strategic Goals
The tensions were further exacerbated by the previous naming of a Southern governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had publicly thanked the president, stating it was an "privilege" to serve in a volunteer capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."
Following the events in Venezuela, this representative praised the president's decisive move, connecting it to the wider "war on drugs."
Since returning to office, the US president has consistently unnerved European partners with his stated desire in Greenland. The territory is considered critically important for defence and future resource extraction. It already houses the most northerly US military base.
Leaving the Door Open to Military Action
In a notable media interview, the leader declined to rule out the resorting to military force to acquire Greenland. This position comes during intensifying 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 stated.
He described Greenland as having a "tiny amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for global security."
Mounting Tensions and Indigenous Opposition
In reaction to this persistent "drumbeat" of intent, Denmark's intelligence service took the unprecedented step last month of labelling the United States as a "potential threat."
The leaders of both Greenland issued a unified and forceful rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not annex other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland shows a nuanced sentiment. While a vast majority of the territory's inhabitants desire self-rule from Copenhagen, there is also little to no desire to join the United States. The territory has had the legal right to declare sovereignty for over a decade.
Expert View: A Credible Threat?
Some analysts are increasingly re-evaluating the likelihood of such a move. One policy director specializing in defence conceded she had previously dismissed the sabre-rattling but was "currently not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to station a few hundred or a couple thousand troops on Greenland, and it's unclear to me who could do anything about it," she observed.
