American Attack on Caracas Stokes Anxieties of Potential Danish Territory Takeover.
Recent US-led strike in Venezuela and the detention of its president have renewed unease regarding Washington's ambitions on Greenland. Supporters of the ex-president's political movement have reportedly turned their attention to the resource-rich island in the wake of the operations in South America.
Provocative Posts and Official Backlash
Only hours following the initiation of the Caracas operation, a well-known conservative podcaster, who is married to a senior White House adviser, posted a suggestive map. The graphic depicted Greenland covered in the American flag, with the single-word caption: "SOON."
This overt suggestion to claim the resource-abundant region, which is a member of the NATO alliance, triggered swift and firm condemnation from Denmark's representatives.
"We are close allies and should keep work together as such. American security is also Greenland’s and Denmark’s security," declared the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "Our nation and the United States work together to guarantee security in the North."
The diplomat further highlighted that the kingdom had substantially increased its defence spending this year, allocating a large sum expressly for Arctic and North Atlantic defence. "Furthermore, we demand full respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark," he added.
Political Appointments and Strategic Goals
The tensions were further complicated by the previous naming of a Southern governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had openly thanked the president, saying it was an "honour" to work in a unpaid role to "bring Greenland into the US."
Following the events in Venezuela, this envoy commended the administration's actions, linking it to the wider "war on drugs."
Ever since assuming office, the US president has consistently unnerved transatlantic allies with his stated interest in Greenland. The island is considered critically strategic for defence and future resource extraction. It already hosts the northernmost US military base.
Leaving the Door Open to Military Action
In a significant television appearance, the leader declined to rule out the resorting to armed action to gain control of Greenland. This position comes amid intensifying global 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 "very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll value them... But we need that for global security."
Growing Tensions and Indigenous Opposition
In reaction to this constant "drumbeat" of threats, Denmark's security agency took the extraordinary step last month of labelling the United States as a "security risk."
The prime ministers of Denmark and 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."
Surveys in Greenland shows a complex picture. While a vast majority of the island's residents desire self-rule from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously scant appetite to become part of the United States. The territory has had the option to seek sovereignty for many years.
Expert View: A Credible Scenario?
Some experts are now re-evaluating the likelihood of such a action. One policy director focusing in defence conceded she had previously discounted the rhetoric but was "now not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to station a few hundred or a few thousand troops on Greenland, and it's not clear to me which power could intervene about it," she concluded.