American Attack on Venezuela Stokes Concerns of Future Greenland Annexation.

The latest US-led strike in Venezuela and the detention of its president have renewed unease regarding America's ambitions on Greenland. Members of the ex-president's political movement have reportedly set their sights on the vast landmass in the wake of the operations in the southern hemisphere.

Inflammatory Messages and Diplomatic Outrage

Merely a short time after the start of the Venezuelan campaign, a prominent conservative commentator, who is the spouse of a senior presidential adviser, shared a suggestive map. The graphic showed Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, with the cryptic message: "COMING."

This overt suggestion to annex the resource-abundant region, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered swift and strong condemnation from Danish representatives.

"We are strong partners and should keep work together as such. American security is equally the Arctic's and Denmark’s security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "Our nation and the United States collaborate to ensure security in the North."

The ambassador additionally highlighted that the kingdom had significantly increased its defence spending recently, earmarking a substantial sum expressly for Arctic and regional defence. "And yes, we demand full recognition for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he emphasized.

Administrative Appointments and Strategic Goals

The tensions were further complicated by the recent appointment of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The appointee had publicly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, stating it was an "privilege" to work in a volunteer capacity to "bring Greenland into the US."

After the military action in Venezuela, this representative commended the president's decisive move, connecting it to the wider "war on drugs."

Ever since returning to office, the US president has consistently unnerved transatlantic allies with his expressed interest in Greenland. The island is considered vitally important for national security and future resource extraction. It currently houses the most northerly US air base.

Refusing to Rule Out Force

In a significant media interview, the leader refused to rule out the resorting to armed action to gain control of Greenland. This stance comes during growing great-power rivalry 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 remarked.

He described Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for global security."

Growing Friction and Indigenous Opposition

In reaction to this constant "drumbeat" of threats, Denmark's intelligence service took the unprecedented step last month of labelling the United States as a "potential threat."

The leaders of both Greenland delivered a joint and forceful rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not take over other countries."

Public opinion in Greenland shows a complex picture. While a vast majority of the territory's inhabitants desire independence from Denmark, there is also little to no desire to join the United States. The island has had the legal right to seek independence for many years.

Expert Assessment: A Plausible Scenario?

Some experts are now reconsidering the possibility of such a action. One thinktank analyst focusing in defence conceded she had once discounted the rhetoric but was "now not so sure."

"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to station a couple hundred or a couple thousand troops on Greenland, and it's not clear to me who could do anything about it," she concluded.