Recent US-led bombardment in Venezuela and the seizure of its leader have ignited worry regarding America's designs on the Arctic territory. Supporters of the ex-president's base have reportedly turned their attention to the strategically important island in the wake of the operations in South America.
Merely hours after the initiation of the Venezuelan operation, a well-known right-wing podcaster, who is married to a senior White House aide, shared a suggestive map. The graphic depicted Greenland draped with the American flag, accompanied by single-word caption: "COMING."
This overt suggestion to claim the resource-abundant land, which is a part of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered immediate and firm condemnation from Danish representatives.
"We are strong partners and should continue to cooperate as such. American security is also Greenland’s and our security," stated the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the United States collaborate to ensure security in the North."
The diplomat further pointed out that the kingdom had substantially increased its defence spending recently, allocating a large amount expressly for Northern and regional defence. "And yes, we expect complete respect for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he added.
The situation were additionally complicated by the recent appointment of a Southern governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The appointee had openly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "honour" to serve in a unpaid role to "make Greenland a part of the US."
Following the events in Venezuela, this representative commended the administration's decisive move, connecting it to the broader "war on drugs."
Ever since returning to office, the American leader has consistently alarmed transatlantic allies with his stated interest in Greenland. The island is viewed as vitally important for national security and future resource extraction. It currently houses the most northerly US military base.
In a notable television appearance, the president declined to exclude the resorting to military force to acquire Greenland. This position comes during intensifying great-power 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 remarked.
He described Greenland as having a "tiny amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll value them... But we need that for global security."
In reaction to this persistent "drumbeat" of intent, Danish intelligence service took the unprecedented step last month of labelling the United States as a "potential threat."
The prime ministers of both Greenland issued a unified and forceful rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot annex other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland shows a nuanced picture. While a vast majority of the island's inhabitants seek independence from Denmark, there is simultaneously scant appetite to join the United States. The island has had the legal right to declare independence for over a decade.
Some experts are increasingly reconsidering the likelihood of such a move. One thinktank analyst specializing in defence admitted she had once discounted the rhetoric but was "now not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to deploy a couple hundred or a few thousand troops on Greenland, and it's unclear to me who could do anything about it," she concluded.
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