The recent US-led military action in the South American nation and the detention of its president have ignited unease regarding Washington's designs on the Arctic territory. Members of the ex-president's base have reportedly turned their attention to the vast landmass in the wake of the events in the southern hemisphere.
Provocative Posts and Official Backlash
Merely a short time after the commencement of the Caracas campaign, a prominent conservative commentator, who is married to a high-ranking presidential aide, shared a suggestive map. The picture depicted Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, with the single-word message: "COMING."
This blatant threat to absorb the mineral-rich land, which is a part of the North Atlantic alliance, provoked swift and strong condemnation from Danish representatives.
"We are close allies and should continue to work together as such. US security is also Greenland’s and Denmark’s security," stated the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "Our nation and the United States collaborate to guarantee security in the Arctic."
The diplomat further highlighted that Denmark had substantially boosted its defence spending this year, allocating a large sum expressly for Northern and North Atlantic security. "And yes, we demand full respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark," he emphasized.
Administrative Appointments and Geopolitical Interests
The tensions were additionally exacerbated by the recent naming of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had publicly expressed gratitude to the president, stating it was an "privilege" to work in a unpaid capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."
After the events in Venezuela, this representative commended the president's actions, connecting it to the wider "fight against narcotics."
Since assuming office, the US president has consistently unnerved European partners with his expressed desire in Greenland. The territory is considered critically important for national security and potential resource extraction. It already hosts the most northerly US air base.
Refusing to Rule Out Military Action
In a notable television interview, the president declined to rule out the use of armed action to acquire Greenland. This stance comes during intensifying global rivalry 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 stated.
He described Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll value them... But we need that for global security."
Growing Tensions and Local Opposition
In response to this constant "rhetoric" of threats, Danish intelligence service took the extraordinary step last month of labelling the United States as a "potential threat."
The prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland delivered a joint and stern statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not annex other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland reveals a complex picture. While a vast majority of the island's residents seek independence from Copenhagen, there is also scant appetite to become part of the United States. The territory has had the legal right to seek independence for over a decade.
Expert Assessment: A Credible Threat?
Some experts are now reconsidering the possibility of such a action. One thinktank director focusing in defence admitted she had once dismissed the sabre-rattling but was "now 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 unclear to me which power could intervene about it," she observed.
