Recent US-led bombardment in Venezuela and the detention of its president have renewed apprehension regarding Washington's designs on Greenland. Followers of the former president's base have reportedly turned their attention to the resource-rich island in the wake of the events in South America.
Provocative Messages and Diplomatic Backlash
Merely hours after the start of the Caracas campaign, a prominent right-wing commentator, who is the spouse of a high-ranking White House aide, shared a suggestive map. The picture showed Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, with the single-word message: "COMING."
This overt suggestion to absorb the resource-abundant land, which is a member of the NATO alliance, triggered swift and strong criticism from Danish representatives.
"We are close allies and should continue to cooperate as such. US security is also the Arctic's and Denmark’s security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the United States work together to ensure security in the North."
The ambassador additionally highlighted that Denmark had significantly increased its defence spending recently, allocating a large sum specifically for Northern and North Atlantic defence. "And yes, we demand complete respect for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he added.
Administrative Appointments and Geopolitical Goals
The tensions were additionally exacerbated by the previous naming of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The appointee had publicly expressed gratitude to the president, stating it was an "privilege" to work in a volunteer role to "make Greenland a part of the US."
Following the military action in Venezuela, this envoy praised the president's decisive move, linking it to the wider "fight against narcotics."
Ever since assuming office, the US president has repeatedly unnerved European allies with his expressed desire in Greenland. The territory is viewed as critically strategic for national security and potential mineral exploitation. It currently hosts the most northerly US military base.
Refusing to Rule Out Military Action
In a notable media appearance, the president declined to exclude the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This stance comes during growing great-power 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 remarked.
He described Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of, 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 extraordinary step last month of labelling the United States as a "security risk."
The prime ministers of both Greenland delivered a joint and forceful rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot annex other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland shows a complex sentiment. While a overwhelming percentage of the territory's residents seek independence from Denmark, there is also scant appetite to join the United States. The territory has had the legal right to declare independence for over a decade.
Analyst Assessment: A Credible Threat?
Military analysts are increasingly reconsidering the likelihood of such a move. One thinktank analyst specializing in military analysis admitted she had once discounted the rhetoric but was "currently not so sure."
"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to station a few hundred or a few thousand troops on Greenland, and it's unclear to me who could intervene about it," she observed.
