Recent US-led strike in Venezuela and the capture of its president have ignited apprehension regarding Washington's designs on Greenland. Members of the ex-president's base have allegedly turned their attention to the vast island following the events in South America.
Provocative Messages and Official Backlash
Merely hours following the initiation of the Caracas campaign, a well-known conservative commentator, who is married to a high-ranking presidential adviser, posted a suggestive image. The graphic showed Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, accompanied by cryptic message: "COMING."
This overt suggestion to annex the mineral-rich land, which is a member of the NATO alliance, provoked immediate and firm criticism from Denmark's officials.
"Denmark and the US are strong partners and should keep cooperate as such. US security is equally Greenland’s and our security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the United States work together to ensure security in the North."
The ambassador additionally pointed out that the kingdom had substantially increased its defence spending this year, earmarking a substantial amount expressly for Arctic and regional security. "And yes, we expect complete respect for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he added.
Political Moves and Strategic Interests
The tensions were further complicated by the recent appointment of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had openly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "honour" to serve in a volunteer capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."
Following the military action in Venezuela, this envoy praised the administration's actions, connecting it to the broader "war on drugs."
Since returning to office, the US president has repeatedly unnerved transatlantic allies with his expressed desire in Greenland. The island is viewed as vitally strategic for national security and future resource extraction. It already hosts the northernmost US military base.
Refusing to Rule Out Military Action
In a significant media appearance, the president refused to exclude the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This position comes during intensifying 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 described Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for global security."
Growing Friction and Indigenous Resistance
In response to this persistent "drumbeat" of intent, Denmark's intelligence service took the extraordinary step last month of labelling the United States as a "security risk."
The leaders of Denmark and Greenland delivered a unified and forceful 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 nuanced picture. While a overwhelming percentage of the territory's residents seek independence from Denmark, there is simultaneously scant appetite to become part of the United States. The territory has had the legal right to seek sovereignty for over a decade.
Analyst View: A Plausible Scenario?
Military analysts are now re-evaluating the possibility of such a move. One thinktank director focusing in defence admitted she had previously discounted the rhetoric but was "now not so sure."
"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to deploy a few hundred or a couple thousand troops inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me who could intervene about it," she concluded.
