The recent American bombardment in Venezuela and the seizure of its president have renewed worry regarding Washington's ambitions on the Arctic territory. Followers of the ex-president's political movement have allegedly set their sights on the resource-rich island in the wake of the events in South America.
Inflammatory Posts and Diplomatic Outrage
Merely a short time following the initiation of the Venezuelan operation, a prominent conservative podcaster, who is married to a senior presidential adviser, shared a suggestive map. The graphic showed Greenland draped with the American flag, accompanied by cryptic message: "SOON."
This blatant suggestion to claim the resource-abundant region, which is a part of the North Atlantic alliance, provoked immediate and firm condemnation from Denmark's officials.
"We are strong partners and should continue to work together as such. US security is equally Greenland’s and Denmark’s security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "Our nation and the United States work together to guarantee security in the Arctic."
The diplomat additionally highlighted that the kingdom had significantly boosted its defence spending this year, earmarking a large sum expressly for Arctic and North Atlantic security. "And yes, we expect full recognition for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark," he emphasized.
Political Moves and Geopolitical Interests
The situation were additionally exacerbated by the previous naming of a Southern governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had openly expressed gratitude to the president, saying it was an "privilege" to serve in a unpaid capacity to "bring Greenland into the US."
After the events in Venezuela, this envoy praised the administration's actions, linking it to the wider "war on drugs."
Ever since returning to office, the US president has repeatedly unnerved transatlantic partners with his stated desire in Greenland. The island is viewed as vitally important for national security and potential resource extraction. It already houses the northernmost US air base.
Refusing to Rule Out Military Action
In a significant television appearance, the president refused to exclude the use of military force to acquire Greenland. This position comes during 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 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 international security."
Growing Tensions and Indigenous Resistance
In reaction to this constant "rhetoric" of threats, Denmark's intelligence service took the extraordinary step last month of classifying the United States as a "potential threat."
The leaders of both Greenland delivered a unified and forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not take over other countries."
Surveys in Greenland shows a nuanced picture. While a vast majority of the island's residents desire independence from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously scant appetite to join the United States. The island has had the legal right to seek sovereignty for many years.
Expert View: A Plausible Scenario?
Some experts are now reconsidering the likelihood of such a action. One thinktank director focusing in defence conceded she had once dismissed the sabre-rattling but was "now not so sure."
"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to station a few hundred or a few thousand soldiers inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could do anything about it," she concluded.
