The recent US-led bombardment in Venezuela and the capture of its leader have renewed worry regarding America's designs on the Arctic territory. Followers of the former president's base have allegedly set their sights on the resource-rich island in the wake of the operations in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Posts and Diplomatic Outrage
Merely a short time after the initiation of the Venezuelan operation, a well-known right-wing podcaster, who is married to a senior White House aide, shared a symbolic image. The graphic showed Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, with the cryptic message: "SOON."
This blatant threat to annex the mineral-rich land, which is a part of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered immediate and strong criticism from Danish officials.
"Denmark and the US are close allies and should continue to work together as such. US security is also Greenland’s and Denmark’s security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "Our nation and the US collaborate to ensure security in the North."
The diplomat further pointed out that Denmark had substantially increased its military budget recently, earmarking a large amount specifically for Northern and North Atlantic security. "Furthermore, we expect complete recognition for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark," he emphasized.
Political Appointments and Geopolitical Goals
The situation were additionally complicated by the recent naming of a Southern governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had publicly thanked the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "honour" to serve in a volunteer capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."
After the military action in Venezuela, this envoy praised the administration's decisive move, connecting it to the wider "war on drugs."
Ever since assuming office, the American leader has repeatedly alarmed European partners with his expressed desire in Greenland. The island is considered critically strategic for defence and potential mineral exploitation. It currently houses the northernmost US military base.
Leaving the Door Open to Force
In a significant television appearance, the president refused to exclude the resorting to armed action to gain control of Greenland. This stance comes during 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 cherish them... But we need that for international security."
Growing Friction and Indigenous Opposition
In reaction to this constant "rhetoric" of threats, Denmark's intelligence service took the unprecedented step last month of labelling the United States as a "security risk."
The prime ministers of both Greenland issued a joint and forceful rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not take over other countries."
Surveys in Greenland reveals a complex picture. While a vast majority of the island's inhabitants desire independence from Denmark, there is also scant desire to join the United States. The territory has had the legal right to seek sovereignty for many years.
Analyst Assessment: A Plausible Scenario?
Military experts are now reconsidering the likelihood of such a move. One thinktank director focusing in military analysis conceded she had previously dismissed the rhetoric but was "currently not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to deploy a couple hundred or a couple thousand soldiers on Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could intervene about it," she observed.
