Recent US-led military action in Venezuela and the capture of its leader have renewed apprehension regarding America's designs on the Arctic territory. Supporters of the ex-president's political movement have reportedly focused on the resource-rich island in the wake of the operations in South America.
Provocative Posts and Official Outrage
Only a short time after the commencement of the Venezuelan operation, a prominent right-wing commentator, who is married to a senior White House adviser, shared a symbolic map. The graphic depicted Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, with the single-word message: "COMING."
This overt threat to absorb the resource-abundant region, which is a part of the North Atlantic alliance, provoked swift and firm condemnation from Danish representatives.
"Denmark and the US are close allies and should continue to work together as such. American security is equally the Arctic's and Denmark’s security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "Our nation and the US work together to guarantee security in the North."
The ambassador further highlighted that the kingdom had significantly increased its military budget recently, earmarking a large sum expressly for Northern and North Atlantic defence. "Furthermore, we expect full recognition for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he added.
Political Moves and Geopolitical Goals
The tensions were further exacerbated by the previous appointment of a Southern governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had publicly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "privilege" to work in a unpaid capacity to "bring Greenland into the US."
After the events in Venezuela, this representative praised the president's actions, connecting it to the broader "war on drugs."
Since assuming office, the US president has repeatedly unnerved transatlantic partners with his stated interest in Greenland. The island is viewed as vitally strategic for defence and future resource extraction. It already houses the northernmost US air base.
Leaving the Door Open to Force
In a significant television interview, the president declined to rule out the resorting to military force to acquire Greenland. This stance comes during growing 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 described Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll value them... But we need that for global security."
Growing Tensions and Local Resistance
In reaction to this constant "rhetoric" of threats, Denmark's security agency took the extraordinary step last month of labelling the United States as a "security risk."
The prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland delivered a unified and forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not annex other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland reveals a complex sentiment. While a overwhelming percentage of the island's residents desire self-rule from Denmark, there is also little to no appetite to join the United States. The island has had the legal right to seek independence for over a decade.
Expert View: A Credible Threat?
Some experts are increasingly re-evaluating the possibility of such a action. One thinktank director specializing in military analysis conceded she had once discounted the sabre-rattling but was "currently not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to station a few hundred or a couple thousand soldiers on Greenland, and it's unclear to me who could intervene about it," she concluded.
