Recent US-led bombardment in Venezuela and the seizure of its president have renewed unease regarding America's ambitions on the Arctic territory. Members of the ex-president's base have reportedly turned their attention to the vast island following the events in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Messages and Official Backlash
Only a short time after the initiation of the Venezuelan operation, a prominent right-wing commentator, who is married to a high-ranking White House adviser, posted a symbolic map. The picture depicted Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, accompanied by single-word caption: "COMING."
This blatant suggestion to claim the resource-abundant region, which is a member of the NATO alliance, provoked immediate and firm criticism from Danish officials.
"We are close allies and should keep cooperate as such. US security is equally Greenland’s and our security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "Our nation and the United States work together to ensure security in the Arctic."
The ambassador further highlighted that Denmark had significantly increased its defence spending this year, allocating a large amount specifically for Northern and North Atlantic defence. "Furthermore, we expect full respect for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he added.
Administrative Appointments and Geopolitical Interests
The tensions were additionally complicated by the recent naming of a Southern governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had openly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "privilege" to serve in a unpaid role to "bring Greenland into the US."
After the events in Venezuela, this envoy commended the administration's decisive move, linking it to the wider "fight against narcotics."
Since assuming office, the American leader has consistently unnerved transatlantic partners with his stated interest in Greenland. The territory is viewed as vitally strategic for national security and future resource extraction. It already hosts the northernmost US air base.
Leaving the Door Open to Force
In a notable television interview, the president declined to rule out the use of armed action to acquire Greenland. This position 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 remarked.
He characterized Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for international security."
Growing Tensions and Local Resistance
In reaction to this constant "drumbeat" of threats, Danish security agency took the unprecedented step last month of labelling the United States as a "potential threat."
The prime ministers of both Greenland delivered a joint and stern statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot annex other countries."
Surveys in Greenland shows a complex picture. While a vast majority of the island's residents seek independence from Denmark, there is simultaneously scant desire to become part of the United States. The territory has had the option to declare independence for many years.
Expert View: A Plausible Threat?
Some analysts are now reconsidering the possibility of such a move. One policy director focusing in defence conceded 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 few thousand soldiers on Greenland, and it's not clear to me which power could do anything about it," she observed.
