The latest US-led military action in Venezuela and the detention of its president have sparked unease regarding America's designs on Greenland. Supporters of the former president's political movement have reportedly focused on the strategically important landmass following the events in South America.
Provocative Messages and Official Backlash
Only a short time following the commencement of the Venezuelan campaign, a well-known right-wing commentator, who is the spouse of a high-ranking presidential adviser, posted a suggestive map. The picture showed Greenland covered in the American flag, accompanied by cryptic caption: "SOON."
This blatant suggestion to claim the resource-abundant land, which is a part of the North Atlantic alliance, provoked immediate and strong criticism from Danish officials.
"Denmark and the US are close allies and should keep work together as such. US security is equally Greenland’s and Denmark’s security," stated the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US work together to guarantee security in the Arctic."
The ambassador additionally pointed out that the kingdom had substantially increased its defence spending recently, allocating a substantial amount specifically for Arctic and regional defence. "And yes, we demand complete respect for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he added.
Administrative Appointments and Strategic Interests
The situation were further exacerbated by the recent naming of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The appointee had publicly thanked the president, stating it was an "honour" to work in a volunteer capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."
Following the military action in Venezuela, this envoy commended the administration's decisive move, linking it to the wider "war on drugs."
Since assuming office, the US president has repeatedly unnerved European partners with his expressed interest in Greenland. The island is considered vitally important for defence and potential resource extraction. It currently houses the northernmost US air base.
Leaving the Door Open to Military Action
In a significant television appearance, the president declined to exclude the resorting to armed action to acquire Greenland. This position 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 remarked.
He described Greenland as having a "tiny 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 response to this constant "rhetoric" of intent, Denmark's security agency took the unprecedented step last month of classifying the United States as a "security risk."
The leaders of both Greenland issued a unified and forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot annex other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland shows a nuanced sentiment. While a overwhelming percentage of the territory's inhabitants desire self-rule from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously little to no appetite to join the United States. The territory has had the legal right to seek independence for over a decade.
Analyst View: A Credible Scenario?
Some analysts are increasingly reconsidering the possibility of such a move. One thinktank director specializing in defence conceded she had once dismissed the sabre-rattling but was "now not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to deploy a few hundred or a few thousand troops inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could intervene about it," she concluded.
