Recent American military action in Venezuela and the capture of its president have renewed unease regarding Washington's ambitions on Greenland. Followers of the former president's base have reportedly turned their attention to the resource-rich landmass in the wake of the operations in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Posts and Diplomatic Backlash
Only hours after the start of the Caracas campaign, a well-known right-wing commentator, who is the spouse of a senior presidential aide, shared a suggestive map. The graphic showed Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, with the cryptic caption: "SOON."
This blatant threat to claim the mineral-rich region, which is a part of the NATO alliance, triggered swift and firm criticism from Denmark's officials.
"Denmark and the US are strong partners and should continue to cooperate as such. American security is equally Greenland’s and Denmark’s security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the United States collaborate to ensure security in the Arctic."
The ambassador additionally highlighted that Denmark had significantly increased its military budget this year, earmarking a substantial sum expressly for Northern and North Atlantic defence. "And yes, we expect full respect for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he emphasized.
Political Appointments and Geopolitical Goals
The situation were additionally complicated by the previous appointment of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had openly expressed gratitude to the president, saying it was an "privilege" to serve in a unpaid capacity to "bring Greenland into the US."
After the events in Venezuela, this envoy commended the president's decisive move, linking it to the wider "war on drugs."
Ever since returning to office, the American leader has repeatedly unnerved transatlantic allies with his expressed desire in Greenland. The territory is considered vitally important for defence and future mineral exploitation. It already houses the northernmost US air base.
Refusing to Rule Out Force
In a notable media appearance, the president refused to exclude the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This position comes during growing 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 "tiny amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll value them... But we need that for international security."
Growing Tensions and Indigenous Opposition
In response to this constant "drumbeat" of threats, Danish intelligence service took the unprecedented step last month of classifying the United States as a "security risk."
The prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland issued a unified and forceful statement: "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 overwhelming percentage of the territory's residents desire self-rule from Denmark, there is simultaneously scant appetite to become part of the United States. The island has had the legal right to declare sovereignty for over a decade.
Expert View: A Plausible Threat?
Military experts are increasingly re-evaluating the likelihood of such a move. One thinktank director specializing in defence conceded she had once dismissed the sabre-rattling but was "currently not so sure."
"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to station a couple hundred or a couple thousand soldiers inside of Greenland, and it's not clear to me which power could do anything about it," she concluded.
