Recent US-led military action in the South American nation and the detention of its president have sparked unease regarding Washington's ambitions on the Arctic territory. Supporters of the ex-president's political movement have allegedly focused on the resource-rich landmass in the wake of the operations in the southern hemisphere.
Provocative Posts and Diplomatic Backlash
Merely a short time after the start of the Venezuelan operation, a prominent conservative podcaster, who is married to a senior presidential aide, shared a symbolic map. The graphic showed Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, with the single-word caption: "SOON."
This overt suggestion to absorb the resource-abundant region, which is a member of the NATO alliance, triggered immediate and firm criticism from Danish officials.
"Denmark and the US are strong partners and should keep work together as such. US security is equally Greenland’s and Denmark’s security," declared the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "Our nation and the United States collaborate to ensure security in the North."
The diplomat further pointed out that the kingdom had significantly increased its defence spending this year, earmarking a large sum expressly for Northern and North Atlantic security. "And yes, we expect complete recognition for the territorial integrity of the our realm," he added.
Political Moves and Strategic Interests
The situation were further exacerbated by the recent naming of a Southern governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had publicly thanked the commander-in-chief, stating it was an "privilege" to serve in a unpaid role to "make Greenland a part of the US."
Following the events in Venezuela, this envoy praised the president's decisive move, connecting it to the wider "war on drugs."
Since assuming office, the American leader has consistently unnerved European partners with his expressed interest in Greenland. The territory is considered vitally strategic for defence and future mineral exploitation. It currently hosts the northernmost US military base.
Leaving the Door Open to Force
In a significant television interview, the president refused to exclude the resorting to military force to acquire Greenland. This stance comes amid intensifying 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 stated.
He characterized Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll value them... But we need that for international security."
Mounting Friction and Local Opposition
In response to this constant "rhetoric" of intent, Denmark's intelligence service took the extraordinary step last month of labelling the United States as a "security risk."
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 overwhelming percentage of the island's residents desire independence from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously little to no desire to join the United States. The island has had the legal right to declare sovereignty for over a decade.
Expert View: A Credible Threat?
Some analysts are increasingly reconsidering the likelihood of such a move. One thinktank analyst specializing in defence conceded she had previously discounted the sabre-rattling but was "now not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to deploy a few hundred or a couple thousand troops inside of Greenland, and it's not clear to me which power could do anything about it," she observed.
