🔗 Share this article US Attack on Caracas Fuels Fears of Future Greenland Annexation. The latest American bombardment in Venezuela and the capture of its leader have renewed apprehension regarding America's ambitions on the Arctic territory. Members of the former president's political movement have allegedly turned their attention to the resource-rich island following the events in the southern hemisphere. Inflammatory Posts and Diplomatic Backlash Only hours after the start of the Venezuelan campaign, a prominent right-wing podcaster, who is married to a high-ranking White House adviser, shared a suggestive map. The graphic showed Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, accompanied by cryptic message: "SOON." This overt suggestion to annex the resource-abundant land, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered immediate and firm criticism from Danish officials. "We are strong partners and should continue to work together as such. US security is equally the Arctic's and Denmark’s security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US collaborate to guarantee security in the North." The ambassador further highlighted that Denmark had significantly increased its military budget recently, earmarking a substantial sum expressly for Northern and regional security. "And yes, we expect full recognition for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he added. Political Moves and Strategic Interests The situation were additionally exacerbated by the previous naming of a Southern governor as a representative to Greenland. The appointee had openly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, stating it was an "privilege" to work in a unpaid role to "make Greenland a part of the US." Following the events in Venezuela, this representative praised the administration's decisive move, linking it to the broader "fight against narcotics." Since returning to office, the US president has consistently alarmed transatlantic allies with his expressed interest in Greenland. The island is viewed as vitally important for defence and future mineral exploitation. It currently hosts the northernmost US military base. Leaving the Door Open to Force In a notable media interview, the leader refused to exclude the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This position comes amid growing 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 stated. He described Greenland as having a "tiny amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll value them... But we need that for international security." Growing Friction and Local Opposition In reaction to this constant "drumbeat" of intent, Danish security agency took the extraordinary step last month of classifying the United States as a "potential threat." The prime ministers of both Greenland issued a joint and forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot take over other countries." Public opinion in Greenland reveals a complex picture. While a vast majority of the island's residents desire independence from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously little to no appetite to become part of the United States. The island has had the legal right to declare sovereignty for over a decade. Expert View: A Credible Threat? Military experts are now reconsidering the possibility of such a action. One policy director specializing in defence admitted she had previously dismissed the rhetoric but was "now not so sure." "Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to deploy a couple hundred or a couple thousand troops on Greenland, and it's not clear to me who could intervene about it," she observed.
The latest American bombardment in Venezuela and the capture of its leader have renewed apprehension regarding America's ambitions on the Arctic territory. Members of the former president's political movement have allegedly turned their attention to the resource-rich island following the events in the southern hemisphere. Inflammatory Posts and Diplomatic Backlash Only hours after the start of the Venezuelan campaign, a prominent right-wing podcaster, who is married to a high-ranking White House adviser, shared a suggestive map. The graphic showed Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, accompanied by cryptic message: "SOON." This overt suggestion to annex the resource-abundant land, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered immediate and firm criticism from Danish officials. "We are strong partners and should continue to work together as such. US security is equally the Arctic's and Denmark’s security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US collaborate to guarantee security in the North." The ambassador further highlighted that Denmark had significantly increased its military budget recently, earmarking a substantial sum expressly for Northern and regional security. "And yes, we expect full recognition for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he added. Political Moves and Strategic Interests The situation were additionally exacerbated by the previous naming of a Southern governor as a representative to Greenland. The appointee had openly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, stating it was an "privilege" to work in a unpaid role to "make Greenland a part of the US." Following the events in Venezuela, this representative praised the administration's decisive move, linking it to the broader "fight against narcotics." Since returning to office, the US president has consistently alarmed transatlantic allies with his expressed interest in Greenland. The island is viewed as vitally important for defence and future mineral exploitation. It currently hosts the northernmost US military base. Leaving the Door Open to Force In a notable media interview, the leader refused to exclude the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This position comes amid growing 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 stated. He described Greenland as having a "tiny amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll value them... But we need that for international security." Growing Friction and Local Opposition In reaction to this constant "drumbeat" of intent, Danish security agency took the extraordinary step last month of classifying the United States as a "potential threat." The prime ministers of both Greenland issued a joint and forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot take over other countries." Public opinion in Greenland reveals a complex picture. While a vast majority of the island's residents desire independence from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously little to no appetite to become part of the United States. The island has had the legal right to declare sovereignty for over a decade. Expert View: A Credible Threat? Military experts are now reconsidering the possibility of such a action. One policy director specializing in defence admitted she had previously dismissed the rhetoric but was "now not so sure." "Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to deploy a couple hundred or a couple thousand troops on Greenland, and it's not clear to me who could intervene about it," she observed.