US Military Operation on Venezuela Fuels Anxieties of Potential Danish Territory Annexation.

Recent American bombardment in the South American nation and the capture of its president have ignited unease regarding Washington's designs on the Arctic territory. Members of the former president's base have reportedly focused on the strategically important landmass in the wake of the events in the southern hemisphere.

Inflammatory Posts and Official Outrage

Only hours after the initiation of the Caracas operation, a well-known right-wing podcaster, who is married to a senior White House adviser, shared a suggestive image. The picture depicted Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, with the cryptic message: "COMING."

This blatant threat to absorb the mineral-rich region, which is a member of the NATO alliance, triggered swift and firm condemnation from Danish officials.

"Denmark and the US are close allies and should continue to work together as such. US security is also the Arctic's and our security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "Our nation and the United States work together to guarantee security in the Arctic."

The diplomat further pointed out that Denmark had substantially increased its military budget recently, allocating a large amount specifically for Arctic and regional defence. "Furthermore, we expect full respect for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he added.

Political Moves and Geopolitical Goals

The tensions were additionally exacerbated by the previous appointment of a US state governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had openly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "privilege" to serve in a unpaid role to "bring Greenland into the US."

Following the military action in Venezuela, this envoy praised the president's decisive move, connecting it to the wider "war on drugs."

Since assuming office, the US president has repeatedly alarmed transatlantic partners with his expressed interest in Greenland. The island is viewed as vitally strategic for national security and potential resource extraction. It already hosts the northernmost US military base.

Refusing to Rule Out Military Action

In a notable television appearance, the president refused to exclude the resorting to armed action to acquire Greenland. This position comes during intensifying great-power 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 described 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 Opposition

In reaction to this persistent "drumbeat" of threats, Denmark's security agency took the unprecedented step last month of labelling the United States as a "security risk."

The prime ministers of both Greenland delivered 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 sentiment. While a vast majority of the territory's residents seek self-rule 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 many years.

Analyst View: A Credible Scenario?

Some experts are increasingly re-evaluating the likelihood of such a action. One thinktank director 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 deploy a couple hundred or a few thousand soldiers inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could do anything about it," she observed.