US Attack on Caracas Stokes Concerns of Future Greenland Annexation.

The latest US-led bombardment in Venezuela and the detention of its leader have sparked unease regarding Washington's ambitions on the Arctic territory. Members of the former president's base have allegedly turned their attention to the resource-rich island following the events in the southern hemisphere.

Provocative Messages and Official Backlash

Only a short time after the initiation of the Venezuelan operation, a prominent conservative commentator, who is the spouse of a senior presidential adviser, shared a suggestive map. The picture showed Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, accompanied by single-word caption: "COMING."

This blatant threat to absorb the mineral-rich land, which is a part of the North Atlantic alliance, provoked immediate and strong criticism from Denmark's representatives.

"We are close allies and should keep cooperate as such. American security is equally the Arctic's and our security," declared the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "Our nation and the US work together to ensure security in the Arctic."

The ambassador further highlighted that Denmark had significantly increased its defence spending this year, earmarking a large sum expressly for Northern and regional security. "And yes, we demand complete recognition for the territorial integrity of the our realm," he emphasized.

Political Appointments and Geopolitical Interests

The tensions were additionally exacerbated by the previous naming of a US state governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had publicly thanked the president, stating it was an "privilege" to serve in a unpaid role to "bring Greenland into the US."

After the military action in Venezuela, this envoy commended the administration's decisive move, linking it to the wider "fight against narcotics."

Since assuming office, the US president has consistently alarmed transatlantic partners with his expressed desire in Greenland. The territory is considered critically important for defence and future mineral exploitation. It currently houses the most northerly US military base.

Leaving the Door Open to Military Action

In a notable television interview, the president declined to exclude the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This position comes amid growing global 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 characterized Greenland as having a "tiny amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for international security."

Growing Tensions and Indigenous Resistance

In reaction to this constant "rhetoric" of intent, Denmark's security agency took the extraordinary step last month of classifying the United States as a "potential threat."

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

Surveys in Greenland shows a complex sentiment. While a vast majority of the territory's residents desire self-rule from Denmark, there is simultaneously little to no appetite to become part of the United States. The island has had the option to declare independence for many years.

Expert View: A Credible Threat?

Military experts are increasingly reconsidering the likelihood of such a move. One thinktank analyst focusing in defence admitted she had once discounted the rhetoric but was "now not so sure."

"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to station a few hundred or a few thousand troops inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could do anything about it," she observed.