🔗 Share this article American Military Operation on Venezuela Fuels Fears of Potential Danish Territory Annexation. The latest American strike in the South American nation and the detention of its president have ignited worry regarding Washington's designs on Greenland. Followers of the former president's political movement have allegedly turned their attention to the vast island in the wake of the operations in the southern hemisphere. Provocative Posts and Diplomatic Backlash Only hours following the start of the Caracas campaign, a prominent right-wing commentator, who is the spouse of a senior White House adviser, shared a suggestive map. The graphic depicted Greenland covered in the American flag, accompanied by single-word message: "COMING." This blatant threat to annex the resource-abundant land, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered immediate and firm condemnation from Danish officials. "We 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. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the United States work together to guarantee security in the Arctic." The diplomat additionally pointed out that Denmark had substantially boosted its defence spending recently, earmarking a substantial sum specifically for Northern and regional defence. "And yes, we demand full recognition for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark," he emphasized. Administrative Appointments and Geopolitical Interests The situation were further complicated by the previous naming of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The appointee had openly expressed gratitude to the president, stating it was an "privilege" to work in a volunteer role to "make Greenland a part of the US." After the events in Venezuela, this envoy praised the president's actions, linking it to the broader "war on drugs." Since assuming office, the American leader has consistently alarmed transatlantic allies with his stated interest in Greenland. The territory is viewed as critically important for defence and future mineral exploitation. It already hosts the northernmost US air base. Leaving the Door Open to Force In a significant television appearance, the leader declined to exclude the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This stance comes amid growing global rivalry 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 characterized Greenland as having a "tiny amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for global security." Mounting Tensions and Local Resistance In response to this persistent "drumbeat" of intent, Denmark's security agency took the unprecedented step last month of labelling the United States as a "potential threat." The leaders of Denmark and Greenland issued a joint and stern statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not annex other countries." Surveys in Greenland shows a nuanced picture. While a vast majority of the island's residents desire self-rule from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously little to no desire to join the United States. The island has had the legal right to declare independence for many years. Expert View: A Plausible Threat? Some experts are now re-evaluating the possibility of such a move. One policy director specializing in defence conceded she had previously dismissed the sabre-rattling but was "now 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 who could intervene about it," she concluded.
The latest American strike in the South American nation and the detention of its president have ignited worry regarding Washington's designs on Greenland. Followers of the former president's political movement have allegedly turned their attention to the vast island in the wake of the operations in the southern hemisphere. Provocative Posts and Diplomatic Backlash Only hours following the start of the Caracas campaign, a prominent right-wing commentator, who is the spouse of a senior White House adviser, shared a suggestive map. The graphic depicted Greenland covered in the American flag, accompanied by single-word message: "COMING." This blatant threat to annex the resource-abundant land, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered immediate and firm condemnation from Danish officials. "We 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. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the United States work together to guarantee security in the Arctic." The diplomat additionally pointed out that Denmark had substantially boosted its defence spending recently, earmarking a substantial sum specifically for Northern and regional defence. "And yes, we demand full recognition for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark," he emphasized. Administrative Appointments and Geopolitical Interests The situation were further complicated by the previous naming of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The appointee had openly expressed gratitude to the president, stating it was an "privilege" to work in a volunteer role to "make Greenland a part of the US." After the events in Venezuela, this envoy praised the president's actions, linking it to the broader "war on drugs." Since assuming office, the American leader has consistently alarmed transatlantic allies with his stated interest in Greenland. The territory is viewed as critically important for defence and future mineral exploitation. It already hosts the northernmost US air base. Leaving the Door Open to Force In a significant television appearance, the leader declined to exclude the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This stance comes amid growing global rivalry 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 characterized Greenland as having a "tiny amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for global security." Mounting Tensions and Local Resistance In response to this persistent "drumbeat" of intent, Denmark's security agency took the unprecedented step last month of labelling the United States as a "potential threat." The leaders of Denmark and Greenland issued a joint and stern statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not annex other countries." Surveys in Greenland shows a nuanced picture. While a vast majority of the island's residents desire self-rule from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously little to no desire to join the United States. The island has had the legal right to declare independence for many years. Expert View: A Plausible Threat? Some experts are now re-evaluating the possibility of such a move. One policy director specializing in defence conceded she had previously dismissed the sabre-rattling but was "now 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 who could intervene about it," she concluded.