Recent American strike in Venezuela and the seizure of its president have sparked worry regarding America's designs on the Arctic territory. Followers of the former president's base have allegedly set their sights on the strategically important landmass in the wake of the events in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Messages and Diplomatic Backlash
Merely a short time after the initiation of the Venezuelan campaign, a well-known conservative commentator, who is the spouse of a senior White House adviser, shared a symbolic map. The graphic showed Greenland draped with the American flag, accompanied by single-word message: "SOON."
This overt threat to absorb the resource-abundant region, which is a part of the NATO alliance, provoked immediate and strong criticism from Danish representatives.
"We are strong partners and should continue to cooperate as such. US security is also the Arctic's and our security," declared the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "Our nation and the US work together to guarantee security in the North."
The ambassador further pointed out that the kingdom had substantially increased its defence spending this year, earmarking a substantial sum expressly for Northern and regional security. "Furthermore, we demand full respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark," he added.
Political Moves and Strategic Interests
The situation were additionally exacerbated by the recent naming of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The appointee had publicly expressed gratitude to the president, saying it was an "privilege" to work in a unpaid capacity to "bring Greenland into the US."
After the events in Venezuela, this envoy commended the administration's actions, linking it to the wider "war on drugs."
Since assuming office, the US president has consistently unnerved transatlantic allies with his stated desire in Greenland. The island is viewed as vitally strategic for defence and future mineral exploitation. It already houses the most northerly US air base.
Refusing to Rule Out Force
In a significant media interview, the leader refused to rule out the use of armed action to gain control of Greenland. This position comes during growing global competition 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 remarked.
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."
Mounting Friction and Local Opposition
In response to this constant "drumbeat" of intent, Denmark's intelligence service took the extraordinary step last month of labelling the United States as a "potential threat."
The prime ministers of both Greenland issued a unified and forceful rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot annex other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland shows a complex picture. While a vast majority of the territory's inhabitants desire self-rule from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously scant appetite to become part of the United States. The territory has had the option to declare independence for over a decade.
Analyst View: A Credible Threat?
Some analysts are now reconsidering the likelihood of such a move. One policy analyst focusing in military analysis admitted she had previously dismissed the rhetoric but was "now not so sure."
"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to deploy a few hundred or a few thousand soldiers inside of Greenland, and it's not clear to me who could intervene about it," she concluded.
