American Military Operation on Venezuela Fuels Concerns of Future Danish Territory Takeover.

The recent American military action in Venezuela and the detention of its president have renewed worry regarding Washington's designs on the Arctic territory. Members of the ex-president's base have allegedly set their sights on the resource-rich island following the operations in the southern hemisphere.

Inflammatory Messages and Official Outrage

Only a short time following the start of the Venezuelan operation, a prominent conservative podcaster, who is married to a senior presidential aide, shared a symbolic map. The picture showed Greenland covered in the American flag, accompanied by cryptic message: "COMING."

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

"We are close allies and should continue to work together as such. American security is also Greenland’s and Denmark’s security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the United States collaborate to guarantee security in the Arctic."

The ambassador additionally pointed out that the kingdom had significantly boosted its defence spending this year, earmarking a large sum expressly for Arctic and regional security. "Furthermore, we demand complete recognition for the territorial integrity of the our realm," he emphasized.

Administrative Moves and Strategic Goals

The tensions were additionally complicated by the previous naming of a Southern governor as a special envoy to Greenland. The appointee had openly expressed gratitude to the president, saying it was an "honour" to work in a volunteer capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."

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

Ever since returning to office, the US president has consistently unnerved European partners with his expressed desire in Greenland. The territory is viewed as vitally strategic for national security and potential resource extraction. It already houses the northernmost US air base.

Refusing to Rule Out Force

In a notable media interview, the leader refused to rule out the resorting to armed action to gain control of Greenland. This position comes amid growing global 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 stated.

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 global security."

Growing Tensions and Local Resistance

In response to this constant "drumbeat" of intent, Denmark's security agency took the extraordinary step last month of classifying the United States as a "security risk."

The prime ministers of both Greenland delivered a unified and forceful rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot annex other countries."

Surveys in Greenland shows a nuanced picture. While a vast majority of the island's inhabitants seek self-rule from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously scant appetite to join the United States. The island has had the legal right to seek independence for many years.

Expert View: A Credible Scenario?

Military experts are increasingly reconsidering the likelihood of such a move. One policy analyst specializing in military analysis conceded she had once dismissed the rhetoric but was "now not so sure."

"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to deploy a few hundred or a couple thousand soldiers inside of Greenland, and it's not clear to me who could do anything about it," she concluded.