The recent US-led military action in Venezuela and the detention of its leader have renewed unease regarding Washington's ambitions on Greenland. Members of the ex-president's base have reportedly turned their attention to the vast landmass following the operations in the southern hemisphere.
Provocative Posts and Official Backlash
Merely a short time following the start of the Caracas campaign, a well-known conservative podcaster, who is married to a high-ranking presidential aide, shared a symbolic image. The graphic showed Greenland draped with the stars and stripes, with the cryptic message: "COMING."
This overt suggestion to absorb the resource-abundant region, which is a member of the NATO alliance, provoked swift and firm criticism from Danish representatives.
"We are strong partners and should continue to work together as such. American security is equally Greenland’s and our security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "Our nation and the United States work together to guarantee security in the North."
The ambassador further pointed out that Denmark had significantly increased its defence spending this year, earmarking a large sum expressly for Northern and regional defence. "Furthermore, we demand full respect for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he emphasized.
Political Appointments and Strategic Goals
The tensions were further exacerbated by the previous appointment 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 "privilege" to work in a unpaid role to "make Greenland a part of the US."
Following the events in Venezuela, this envoy praised the president's decisive move, linking it to the broader "fight against narcotics."
Ever since returning to office, the American leader has consistently unnerved transatlantic partners with his expressed interest in Greenland. The territory is considered critically strategic for national security and potential mineral exploitation. It currently houses the most northerly US military base.
Refusing to Rule Out Force
In a significant television appearance, the president declined to rule out the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This stance comes amid intensifying great-power 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 look after, and we’ll value them... But we need that for global security."
Mounting Tensions and Local Opposition
In response to this constant "drumbeat" of threats, Denmark's intelligence service took the extraordinary step last month of classifying the United States as a "security risk."
The leaders of both Greenland delivered a joint 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 nuanced sentiment. While a vast majority of the island's inhabitants desire independence from Denmark, there is simultaneously scant desire to join the United States. The territory has had the legal right to declare sovereignty for over a decade.
Analyst Assessment: A Plausible Scenario?
Military analysts are increasingly reconsidering the possibility of such a action. One thinktank director focusing in military analysis conceded she had previously dismissed the sabre-rattling but was "now not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to deploy a couple hundred or a couple thousand troops on Greenland, and it's not clear to me which power could do anything about it," she observed.
