US Military Operation on Caracas Raises Anxieties of Future Danish Territory Takeover.

The latest US-led bombardment in Venezuela and the detention of its president have sparked worry regarding Washington's designs on Greenland. Members of the ex-president's political movement have allegedly turned their attention to the vast landmass following the events in the southern hemisphere.

Provocative Messages and Diplomatic Outrage

Merely a short time after the start of the Venezuelan campaign, a prominent conservative podcaster, who is married to a high-ranking White House aide, shared a suggestive map. The graphic depicted Greenland draped with the American flag, with the single-word caption: "COMING."

This blatant suggestion to claim the mineral-rich region, which is a member of the NATO alliance, provoked swift and firm condemnation from Danish representatives.

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

The ambassador further highlighted that Denmark had significantly increased its defence spending this year, earmarking a substantial amount specifically for Northern and regional defence. "Furthermore, we demand complete respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark," he emphasized.

Political Appointments and Strategic Goals

The situation were additionally complicated by the recent naming of a US state governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The governor had publicly thanked the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "privilege" to work in a volunteer capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."

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

Ever since assuming office, the American leader has consistently unnerved transatlantic allies with his expressed interest in Greenland. The island is viewed as vitally strategic for national security and future mineral exploitation. It already houses the most northerly US military base.

Leaving the Door Open to Military Action

In a notable media interview, the leader declined to exclude the resorting to military force to acquire Greenland. This position comes during growing great-power 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 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 international security."

Growing Friction and Local Opposition

In reaction to this constant "rhetoric" of threats, Denmark's security agency took the extraordinary 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 must not annex other countries."

Public opinion in Greenland reveals a nuanced sentiment. While a vast majority of the island's residents seek independence from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously little to no desire to join the United States. The territory has had the option to declare independence for many years.

Expert Assessment: A Credible Threat?

Some experts are increasingly re-evaluating the possibility of such a move. One policy director focusing in defence admitted she had once discounted the sabre-rattling but was "currently not so sure."

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