US Attack on Venezuela Fuels Anxieties of Future Danish Territory Annexation.

The latest US-led strike in the South American nation and the seizure of its president have ignited apprehension regarding Washington's designs on the Arctic territory. Members of the ex-president's base have allegedly set their sights on the resource-rich landmass following the operations in the southern hemisphere.

Inflammatory Posts and Official Backlash

Merely hours following the commencement of the Venezuelan operation, a prominent right-wing commentator, who is the spouse of a senior White House aide, shared a suggestive map. The graphic showed Greenland draped with the American flag, accompanied by single-word message: "COMING."

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

"Denmark and the US are strong partners and should keep work together as such. US security is also Greenland’s and our security," stated the Danish ambassador to the United States. "Our nation and the US collaborate to guarantee security in the Arctic."

The ambassador further pointed out that the kingdom had substantially boosted its defence spending this year, earmarking a large sum expressly for Arctic and North Atlantic security. "And yes, we demand full respect for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he added.

Administrative Moves and Geopolitical Goals

The tensions were further exacerbated by the previous naming of a Southern governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had openly thanked the president, stating it was an "honour" to serve in a unpaid capacity to "bring Greenland into the US."

After the events in Venezuela, this envoy praised the administration's actions, linking it to the broader "war on drugs."

Ever since returning to office, the US president has repeatedly alarmed transatlantic allies with his stated desire in Greenland. The territory is considered critically strategic for defence and future resource extraction. It currently houses the northernmost US air base.

Refusing to Rule Out Force

In a significant television interview, the leader refused to rule out the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This position comes amid 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 characterized 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 Tensions and Local Resistance

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

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

Surveys in Greenland shows a nuanced picture. While a vast majority of the island's residents desire self-rule from Denmark, there is also little to no appetite to join the United States. The island has had the option to seek sovereignty for over a decade.

Analyst View: A Plausible Scenario?

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

"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to station a couple hundred or a couple thousand troops inside of Greenland, and it's not clear to me which power could do anything about it," she observed.