The recent US-led strike in Venezuela and the detention of its leader have ignited worry regarding Washington's ambitions on Greenland. Followers of the former president's political movement have allegedly set their sights on the strategically important landmass in the wake of the events in the southern hemisphere.
Inflammatory Posts and Official Backlash
Merely hours after the start of the Venezuelan campaign, a well-known right-wing commentator, who is married to a high-ranking presidential aide, shared a suggestive image. The graphic depicted Greenland draped with the American flag, with the single-word message: "COMING."
This overt threat to claim the mineral-rich land, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, provoked swift and firm criticism from Danish officials.
"Denmark and the US are strong partners and should keep work together as such. American security is also Greenland’s and Denmark’s security," stated the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "Our nation and the United States work together to ensure security in the Arctic."
The ambassador further pointed out that the kingdom had significantly increased its military budget recently, earmarking a large amount specifically for Arctic and North Atlantic defence. "Furthermore, we demand full respect for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he emphasized.
Political Moves and Geopolitical Interests
The tensions were further exacerbated by the previous appointment of a Southern governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had openly thanked the president, saying it was an "privilege" to work in a unpaid role to "bring Greenland into the US."
After the events in Venezuela, this representative praised the president's decisive move, connecting it to the broader "fight against narcotics."
Since returning to office, the American leader has consistently alarmed transatlantic partners with his expressed interest in Greenland. The territory is viewed as critically strategic for national security and future resource extraction. It already hosts the northernmost US air base.
Leaving the Door Open to Military Action
In a notable media interview, the president refused to exclude the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This position comes during intensifying 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 described Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for international security."
Growing Friction and Local Resistance
In reaction to this constant "drumbeat" of intent, Denmark's security agency took the unprecedented step last month of labelling the United States as a "security risk."
The prime ministers of both Greenland delivered a unified and stern rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not take over other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland shows a complex picture. While a overwhelming percentage of the island's residents desire self-rule from Denmark, there is simultaneously little to no appetite to become part of the United States. The island has had the legal right to seek sovereignty for over a decade.
Expert Assessment: A Plausible Scenario?
Military analysts are now re-evaluating the likelihood of such a move. One thinktank director specializing in defence admitted she had previously 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 unclear to me which power could intervene about it," she concluded.
