Recent US-led strike in Venezuela and the detention of its president have renewed apprehension regarding Washington's designs on Greenland. Supporters of the former president's base have reportedly focused on the strategically important landmass in the wake of the events in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Posts and Diplomatic Outrage
Only a short time following the commencement of the Venezuelan campaign, a prominent conservative commentator, who is married to a high-ranking White House adviser, posted a symbolic map. The picture showed Greenland draped with the American flag, with the single-word caption: "SOON."
This blatant threat to absorb the mineral-rich land, which is a part of the NATO alliance, provoked swift and strong criticism from Danish officials.
"We are close allies and should continue to cooperate as such. US security is also Greenland’s and Denmark’s security," declared the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US work together to guarantee security in the Arctic."
The ambassador further highlighted that Denmark had substantially boosted its military budget this year, earmarking a large sum specifically for Northern and regional security. "Furthermore, we expect complete respect for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he emphasized.
Political Appointments and Strategic Interests
The tensions were further exacerbated by the recent naming of a Southern governor as a representative to Greenland. The appointee had publicly thanked the president, stating it was an "privilege" to work in a unpaid role to "bring Greenland into the US."
After the military action in Venezuela, this representative commended the administration's actions, linking it to the wider "fight against narcotics."
Since returning to office, the American leader has repeatedly unnerved transatlantic partners with his stated desire in Greenland. The island is viewed as vitally important for national security and future resource extraction. It already hosts the most northerly US air base.
Refusing to Rule Out Force
In a significant media appearance, the president declined to rule out the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This stance comes during growing 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 remarked.
He described Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for global security."
Growing Friction and Indigenous Opposition
In reaction to this persistent "rhetoric" of intent, Denmark's security agency took the extraordinary step last month of labelling the United States as a "security risk."
The prime ministers of both Greenland issued a joint and stern rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot take over other countries."
Surveys in Greenland shows a nuanced picture. While a vast majority of the territory's inhabitants desire independence from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously scant appetite to join the United States. The island has had the legal right to seek independence for over a decade.
Expert Assessment: A Plausible Threat?
Military experts are now re-evaluating the likelihood of such a action. One thinktank director specializing in military analysis conceded she had once discounted the sabre-rattling but was "currently not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to station a few hundred or a few thousand troops on Greenland, and it's not clear to me who could intervene about it," she observed.
