Recent US-led military action in Venezuela and the detention of its leader have sparked worry regarding Washington's ambitions on Greenland. Members of the ex-president's political movement have reportedly turned their attention to the vast landmass in the wake of the operations in South America.
Inflammatory Messages and Official Backlash
Merely a short time following the start of the Venezuelan operation, a well-known conservative podcaster, who is married to a high-ranking White House adviser, posted a suggestive map. The picture showed Greenland draped with the stars and stripes, with the cryptic caption: "COMING."
This blatant suggestion to absorb the resource-abundant land, which is a part of the NATO alliance, provoked swift and firm condemnation from Danish representatives.
"Denmark and the US are close allies and should keep cooperate as such. US security is also Greenland’s and our security," declared the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the United States collaborate to guarantee security in the North."
The ambassador additionally highlighted that the kingdom had significantly boosted its defence spending this year, earmarking a substantial amount expressly for Arctic and regional defence. "And yes, we demand complete recognition for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark," he emphasized.
Political Moves and Strategic Interests
The tensions were additionally complicated by the recent naming of a Southern governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had publicly thanked the president, stating it was an "privilege" to serve in a unpaid role to "bring Greenland into the US."
Following the events in Venezuela, this representative praised the president's actions, linking it to the wider "war on drugs."
Ever since assuming office, the American leader has consistently unnerved European allies with his stated desire in Greenland. The territory is considered vitally strategic for defence and future resource extraction. It already hosts the northernmost US air base.
Refusing to Rule Out Military Action
In a significant media interview, the president declined 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 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 Resistance
In response to this constant "rhetoric" of intent, Denmark's security agency took the unprecedented step last month of labelling the United States as a "security risk."
The leaders of both Greenland delivered a unified and forceful rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not annex other countries."
Surveys in Greenland shows a nuanced picture. While a vast majority of the territory's inhabitants desire self-rule from Copenhagen, there is also little to no appetite to become part of the United States. The island has had the legal right to seek sovereignty for many years.
Expert Assessment: A Credible Threat?
Some experts are now reconsidering the possibility of such a action. One policy director focusing in military analysis conceded she had once dismissed the rhetoric but was "now 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 not clear to me which power could do anything about it," she observed.
