American Military Operation on Venezuela Fuels Fears of Future Greenland Takeover.

Recent American military action in Venezuela and the detention of its president have ignited unease regarding America's designs on the Arctic territory. Supporters 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 Diplomatic Outrage

Merely hours following the commencement of the Caracas campaign, a prominent right-wing podcaster, who is married to a high-ranking White House adviser, shared a symbolic map. The picture depicted Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, with the single-word caption: "SOON."

This blatant suggestion to annex the resource-abundant land, which is a part of the NATO alliance, provoked immediate and strong condemnation from Denmark's officials.

"Denmark and the US are close allies and should keep work together as such. American security is also the Arctic's and our security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the US collaborate to ensure security in the Arctic."

The ambassador further pointed out that Denmark had substantially boosted its defence spending recently, earmarking a substantial amount expressly for Arctic and North Atlantic security. "And yes, we expect complete recognition for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he added.

Administrative Moves and Strategic Interests

The situation were additionally exacerbated by the recent naming of a Southern governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had publicly 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 envoy commended the administration's actions, connecting it to the broader "war on drugs."

Since assuming office, the US president has repeatedly unnerved European partners with his expressed interest in Greenland. The territory is considered critically strategic for national security and future mineral exploitation. It currently houses the most northerly US military base.

Refusing to Rule Out Force

In a notable television interview, the leader declined to exclude the resorting to armed action to gain control of Greenland. This stance 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 international security."

Mounting Tensions and Local Resistance

In response to this constant "drumbeat" of intent, Danish intelligence service took the extraordinary step last month of classifying the United States as a "security risk."

The prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland issued a joint and forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not annex other countries."

Public opinion in Greenland reveals a complex picture. While a vast majority of the island's inhabitants seek independence from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously scant appetite to become part of the United States. The island has had the legal right to seek sovereignty for over a decade.

Analyst View: A Plausible Scenario?

Some experts are now reconsidering the likelihood of such a move. One policy analyst focusing in defence admitted she had previously discounted the rhetoric but was "now not so sure."

"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to station a few hundred or a few thousand troops on Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could intervene about it," she observed.