US Attack on Caracas Fuels Anxieties of Potential Greenland Acquisition.

Recent American military action in Venezuela and the detention of its president have renewed worry regarding Washington's designs on the Arctic territory. Followers of the former president's political movement have reportedly set their sights on the strategically important island in the wake of the events in the southern hemisphere.

Inflammatory Posts and Official Backlash

Merely hours after the initiation of the Caracas campaign, a prominent conservative podcaster, who is the spouse of a senior White House aide, posted a suggestive map. The picture showed Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, with the cryptic caption: "SOON."

This overt suggestion to absorb the mineral-rich region, which is a member of the NATO alliance, triggered immediate and strong condemnation from Denmark's officials.

"We are strong partners and should continue to work together as such. US security is also Greenland’s and Denmark’s security," stated the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "Our nation and the US collaborate to guarantee security in the North."

The diplomat further highlighted that the kingdom had substantially boosted its military budget recently, earmarking a large amount specifically for Northern and regional defence. "And yes, we demand complete recognition for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark," he emphasized.

Administrative Appointments and Geopolitical Interests

The tensions were further complicated by the previous naming of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The appointee had publicly thanked the president, saying it was an "privilege" to work in a volunteer capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."

Following the events in Venezuela, this envoy commended the administration's decisive move, linking it to the broader "war on drugs."

Ever since returning to office, the American leader has repeatedly alarmed transatlantic partners with his stated interest in Greenland. The island is considered vitally important for defence and future resource extraction. It already houses the northernmost US air base.

Refusing to Rule Out Force

In a significant media interview, the leader declined to rule out the resorting to military force to acquire Greenland. This stance comes amid intensifying great-power 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 take care of, and we’ll value them... But we need that for global security."

Growing Friction and Indigenous Resistance

In response to this persistent "drumbeat" of threats, Danish intelligence service took the unprecedented step last month of labelling the United States as a "potential threat."

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

Surveys in Greenland reveals a nuanced picture. While a vast majority of the island's inhabitants desire independence 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 independence for many years.

Analyst View: A Plausible Threat?

Military analysts are now reconsidering the possibility of such a action. One thinktank director specializing in military analysis 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 couple hundred or a couple thousand soldiers inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could do anything about it," she concluded.