Recent US-led strike in Venezuela and the capture of its leader have renewed unease regarding America's designs on the Arctic territory. Followers of the former president's base have reportedly turned their attention to the resource-rich island following the operations in the southern hemisphere.
Provocative Posts and Diplomatic Outrage
Only a short time after the initiation of the Venezuelan operation, a well-known conservative podcaster, who is married to a high-ranking White House adviser, shared a symbolic map. The picture showed Greenland draped with the stars and stripes, accompanied by single-word message: "SOON."
This overt threat to claim the resource-abundant land, which is a part of the NATO alliance, provoked immediate and firm criticism from Denmark's officials.
"We are close allies and should keep work together as such. US security is also the Arctic's and our security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "Our nation and the US collaborate to guarantee security in the Arctic."
The diplomat further highlighted that the kingdom had significantly boosted its military budget recently, allocating a substantial amount expressly for Northern and North Atlantic security. "Furthermore, we demand complete respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark," he added.
Administrative Moves and Geopolitical Interests
The tensions were additionally exacerbated by the previous appointment of a US state governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had publicly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "privilege" to work in a unpaid capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."
Following the events in Venezuela, this envoy commended the president's decisive move, linking it to the wider "war on drugs."
Since returning to office, the American leader has consistently unnerved European allies with his expressed interest in Greenland. The territory is considered critically strategic for defence and future resource extraction. It currently houses the northernmost US military base.
Leaving the Door Open to Force
In a significant media appearance, the president declined to exclude the resorting to armed action to gain control of Greenland. This position comes amid growing global competition 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 described Greenland as having a "tiny amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for global security."
Mounting Tensions and Indigenous Resistance
In response to this constant "drumbeat" of threats, Denmark's intelligence service took the extraordinary step last month of classifying the United States as a "potential threat."
The leaders of both Greenland delivered a unified and forceful rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot take over other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland reveals a complex sentiment. While a vast majority of the territory's inhabitants seek independence from Copenhagen, there is also little to no appetite to become part of the United States. The territory has had the legal right to declare independence for over a decade.
Analyst Assessment: A Credible Threat?
Some analysts are now re-evaluating the likelihood of such a action. One thinktank director specializing in defence admitted she had previously 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 few thousand soldiers on Greenland, and it's not clear to me who could do anything about it," she observed.
