American Attack on Venezuela Raises Fears of Potential Danish Territory Takeover.
Recent American strike in Venezuela and the seizure of its leader have renewed unease regarding Washington's ambitions on Greenland. Members of the ex-president's base have reportedly turned their attention to the strategically important landmass in the wake of the events in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Posts and Official Outrage
Merely a short time following the start of the Caracas campaign, a well-known conservative commentator, who is the spouse of a senior White House aide, posted a symbolic map. The picture depicted Greenland draped with the American flag, with the cryptic message: "SOON."
This blatant threat to absorb the resource-abundant land, which is a part of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered immediate and firm condemnation from Danish officials.
"Denmark and the US are close allies and should keep work together as such. US security is also Greenland’s and our security," stated the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US collaborate to ensure security in the North."
The diplomat further highlighted that the kingdom had significantly boosted its military budget recently, allocating a substantial sum expressly for Northern and North Atlantic security. "And yes, we demand complete recognition for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark," he emphasized.
Political Appointments and Strategic Interests
The situation were further complicated by the previous naming of a Southern governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had openly thanked the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "honour" to serve in a unpaid role to "make Greenland a part of the US."
After the events in Venezuela, this envoy praised the president's actions, connecting it to the broader "fight against narcotics."
Ever since assuming office, the US president has repeatedly alarmed transatlantic allies with his expressed interest in Greenland. The island is viewed as critically strategic for defence and potential mineral exploitation. It already hosts the northernmost US military base.
Leaving the Door Open to Force
In a significant television interview, the leader refused to exclude the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This stance comes during growing great-power rivalry 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 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 persistent "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 Denmark and Greenland issued a unified and forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not take over other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland reveals a complex picture. While a overwhelming percentage of the island's residents desire self-rule from Denmark, there is simultaneously little to no desire to join the United States. The territory has had the legal right to declare sovereignty for over a decade.
Analyst Assessment: A Plausible Threat?
Some experts are now re-evaluating the likelihood of such a action. One thinktank director focusing in military analysis conceded she had previously dismissed the sabre-rattling but was "currently not so sure."
"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to deploy a few hundred or a couple thousand soldiers inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could intervene about it," she observed.
