Recent US-led bombardment in Venezuela and the detention of its president have sparked unease regarding America's ambitions on Greenland. Members of the ex-president's base have allegedly focused on the vast island in the wake of the operations in South America.
Provocative Posts and Official Outrage
Merely hours after the initiation of the Venezuelan campaign, a prominent right-wing commentator, who is married to a high-ranking White House aide, posted a suggestive image. The picture depicted Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, with the cryptic caption: "COMING."
This blatant suggestion to claim the resource-abundant land, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered immediate and strong condemnation from Denmark's officials.
"Denmark and the US are strong partners and should keep cooperate as such. American security is equally the Arctic's and our security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "Our nation and the United States collaborate to ensure security in the North."
The ambassador additionally highlighted that the kingdom had significantly boosted its defence spending recently, allocating a large sum expressly for Northern and North Atlantic security. "Furthermore, we expect complete respect for the territorial integrity of the our realm," he added.
Political Moves and Geopolitical Goals
The situation were further exacerbated by the recent naming of a Southern governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had openly thanked the president, stating it was an "privilege" to serve in a unpaid capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."
Following the events in Venezuela, this representative commended the administration's decisive move, connecting it to the wider "fight against narcotics."
Ever since returning to office, the American leader has repeatedly alarmed European partners with his expressed interest in Greenland. The territory is viewed as vitally strategic for national security and future resource extraction. It currently houses the northernmost US military base.
Refusing to Rule Out Force
In a notable media interview, the leader declined to exclude the use of military force to acquire Greenland. This position comes amid intensifying great-power 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 "tiny amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for international security."
Growing Friction and Indigenous Resistance
In response to this constant "drumbeat" of threats, Danish security agency took the extraordinary step last month of classifying the United States as a "security risk."
The prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland issued a joint and forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot take over other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland shows a nuanced picture. While a overwhelming percentage of the island's residents desire self-rule from Copenhagen, there is also scant desire to become part of the United States. The island has had the option to declare independence for over a decade.
Expert Assessment: A Plausible Scenario?
Some experts are now reconsidering the likelihood of such a action. One thinktank director focusing in defence admitted she had previously dismissed the sabre-rattling but was "currently not so sure."
"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to deploy a few hundred or a couple thousand soldiers inside of Greenland, and it's not clear to me who could intervene about it," she concluded.
