The recent US-led strike in the South American nation and the detention of its leader have sparked unease regarding America's designs on the Arctic territory. Members of the former president's political movement have reportedly focused on the resource-rich island following the events in South America.
Inflammatory Posts and Official Backlash
Only a short time following the start of the Caracas campaign, a prominent right-wing podcaster, who is married to a senior presidential adviser, posted a suggestive map. The graphic showed Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, accompanied by single-word message: "COMING."
This overt threat to annex the resource-abundant land, which is a part of the North Atlantic alliance, provoked immediate and strong condemnation from Danish representatives.
"We are strong partners and should continue to work together as such. US security is also the Arctic's and our security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US work together to guarantee security in the North."
The ambassador further highlighted that the kingdom had significantly increased its military budget recently, earmarking a large sum specifically for Northern and North Atlantic security. "And yes, we expect complete respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark," he emphasized.
Political Moves and Geopolitical Interests
The situation were additionally complicated by the recent naming of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The appointee had openly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "honour" to work in a volunteer capacity to "bring Greenland into the US."
After the military action in Venezuela, this representative praised the president's decisive move, linking it to the wider "war on drugs."
Ever since returning to office, the US president has repeatedly unnerved European allies with his stated desire in Greenland. The island is viewed as vitally strategic for national security and future resource extraction. It currently houses the northernmost US air base.
Leaving the Door Open to Force
In a significant television interview, the leader refused to rule out the use of armed action to gain control of Greenland. This position comes amid intensifying global competition 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 "tiny amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll value them... But we need that for global security."
Mounting Friction and Indigenous Opposition
In reaction to this constant "rhetoric" of threats, Denmark's security agency took the unprecedented step last month of classifying the United States as a "potential threat."
The leaders of Denmark and Greenland delivered a unified and stern rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not take over other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland shows a complex sentiment. While a overwhelming percentage of the island's inhabitants desire self-rule from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously scant appetite to become part of the United States. The island has had the legal right to seek independence for over a decade.
Analyst View: A Credible Threat?
Some experts are now re-evaluating the likelihood of such a action. One policy analyst focusing in defence conceded she had once discounted the rhetoric but was "now not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to station a couple hundred or a couple thousand soldiers on Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could do anything about it," she concluded.
