Recent US-led strike in Venezuela and the detention of its president have sparked apprehension regarding Washington's designs on Greenland. Followers of the former president's political movement have reportedly focused on the vast island following the events in South America.
Provocative Posts and Official Outrage
Only a short time after the initiation of the Venezuelan campaign, a prominent conservative podcaster, who is the spouse of a high-ranking White House aide, shared a suggestive map. The picture showed Greenland covered in the American flag, with the single-word caption: "COMING."
This overt threat to annex the resource-abundant region, which is a member of the NATO alliance, provoked swift and strong condemnation from Danish officials.
"Denmark and the US are strong partners and should keep cooperate as such. American security is also Greenland’s and Denmark’s security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "Our nation and the United States collaborate to guarantee security in the North."
The diplomat additionally highlighted that Denmark had significantly boosted its defence spending this year, earmarking a substantial sum specifically for Northern and regional security. "Furthermore, we demand complete respect for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he emphasized.
Administrative Moves and Strategic Goals
The situation were further complicated by the previous naming of a US state governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had publicly thanked the president, saying it was an "honour" to work in a volunteer role to "make Greenland a part of the US."
After the military action in Venezuela, this envoy commended the administration's decisive move, connecting it to the broader "fight against narcotics."
Ever since assuming office, the US president has consistently unnerved transatlantic allies with his expressed interest in Greenland. The island is considered vitally strategic for national security and future resource extraction. It currently houses the northernmost US military base.
Leaving the Door Open to Military Action
In a notable television interview, the leader refused to rule out the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This stance comes amid intensifying global 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 "very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for international security."
Growing Tensions and Local Opposition
In response to this persistent "drumbeat" of intent, Danish security agency took the unprecedented step last month of labelling the United States as a "potential threat."
The leaders of both Greenland delivered a joint and stern statement: "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 overwhelming percentage of the territory's inhabitants seek independence 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 independence for over a decade.
Expert Assessment: A Credible Threat?
Military analysts are increasingly reconsidering the likelihood of such a move. One thinktank analyst specializing in defence admitted she had once discounted the rhetoric but was "currently not so sure."
"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to deploy a couple hundred or a couple thousand soldiers on Greenland, and it's unclear to me who could do anything about it," she observed.
