The latest US-led military action in Venezuela and the detention of its president have ignited unease regarding Washington's designs on the Arctic territory. Followers of the former president's political movement have reportedly focused on the vast landmass in the wake of the operations in South America.
Inflammatory Posts and Official Backlash
Only hours after the initiation of the Venezuelan campaign, a prominent conservative podcaster, who is the spouse of a senior White House adviser, shared a suggestive image. The picture showed Greenland draped with the American flag, with the cryptic caption: "SOON."
This overt threat to annex the resource-abundant land, which is a part of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered swift and firm criticism from Denmark's officials.
"Denmark and the US are close allies and should continue to work together as such. US security is equally the Arctic's and our security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US work together to ensure security in the Arctic."
The ambassador further pointed out that the kingdom had substantially increased its military budget this year, allocating a substantial amount expressly for Arctic and North Atlantic defence. "And yes, we demand full respect for the territorial integrity of the our realm," he added.
Administrative Moves and Geopolitical Interests
The situation were additionally exacerbated by the recent appointment of a US state governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had publicly expressed gratitude to the president, stating it was an "honour" to serve in a unpaid role to "bring Greenland into the US."
After the military action in Venezuela, this representative praised the administration's decisive move, connecting it to the wider "war on drugs."
Since assuming office, the American leader has consistently unnerved European partners with his expressed interest in Greenland. The island is considered vitally important for national security and potential mineral exploitation. It currently hosts the northernmost US air base.
Leaving the Door Open to Force
In a notable media interview, the president declined to rule out the resorting to armed action to acquire Greenland. This position comes during growing great-power rivalry 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 described Greenland as having a "tiny amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for global security."
Growing Friction and Indigenous Resistance
In reaction to this constant "drumbeat" of threats, Denmark's security agency took the extraordinary step last month of classifying the United States as a "security risk."
The leaders of Denmark and Greenland issued a joint and forceful rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not annex other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland reveals a nuanced picture. While a vast majority of the territory's inhabitants seek self-rule from Copenhagen, there is also little to no appetite to become part of the United States. The territory has had the legal right to declare sovereignty for over a decade.
Analyst View: A Credible Scenario?
Military analysts are now re-evaluating the likelihood of such a action. One policy analyst focusing in military analysis admitted she had previously discounted the rhetoric but was "now not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to station a couple hundred or a few thousand troops on Greenland, and it's not clear to me which power could do anything about it," she concluded.
