The recent American strike in the South American nation and the seizure of its leader have sparked worry regarding America's designs on the Arctic territory. Supporters of the former president's political movement have reportedly turned their attention to the strategically important landmass in the wake of the operations in the southern hemisphere.
Provocative Posts and Diplomatic Backlash
Only a short time following the commencement of the Caracas campaign, a well-known right-wing commentator, who is the spouse of a senior presidential aide, shared a suggestive map. The picture showed Greenland draped with the American flag, with the single-word message: "SOON."
This overt suggestion to claim the resource-abundant land, which is a member of the NATO alliance, provoked swift and strong condemnation from Denmark's representatives.
"We are close allies and should continue to cooperate as such. American security is also Greenland’s and our security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "Our nation and the US work together to guarantee security in the Arctic."
The ambassador further highlighted that the kingdom had significantly boosted its defence spending recently, allocating a large amount expressly for Arctic and regional security. "Furthermore, we demand full respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark," he added.
Political Appointments 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 thanked the president, stating it was an "honour" to work in a volunteer role to "bring Greenland into the US."
After the military action in Venezuela, this representative commended the president's actions, connecting it to the broader "fight against narcotics."
Since returning to office, the US president has repeatedly unnerved European allies with his stated desire in Greenland. The territory is considered vitally important for national security and future mineral exploitation. It already hosts the northernmost US air base.
Refusing to Rule Out Military Action
In a significant television interview, the leader refused to rule out the resorting to military force to acquire Greenland. This stance comes during intensifying 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 stated.
He characterized Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for international security."
Mounting Friction and Indigenous Resistance
In response to this constant "rhetoric" of intent, Danish intelligence service took the unprecedented step last month of labelling the United States as a "potential threat."
The prime ministers of both 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."
Surveys in Greenland shows a nuanced picture. While a vast majority of the island's inhabitants seek independence from Copenhagen, there is also little to no desire to join the United States. The territory has had the legal right to declare sovereignty for many years.
Analyst View: A Credible Threat?
Some experts are increasingly reconsidering the possibility of such a action. One policy analyst focusing in defence admitted she had once dismissed the sabre-rattling but was "currently not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to deploy a few hundred or a couple thousand troops inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could do anything about it," she concluded.
