US Attack on Venezuela Fuels Anxieties of Potential Greenland Acquisition.

Recent US-led bombardment in the South American nation and the detention of its president have sparked unease regarding Washington's ambitions on the Arctic territory. Followers of the former president's political movement have reportedly focused on the strategically important landmass following the operations in South America.

Inflammatory Posts and Diplomatic Outrage

Merely a short time after the start of the Venezuelan campaign, a well-known right-wing podcaster, who is married to a high-ranking presidential aide, shared a suggestive image. The graphic showed Greenland draped with the American flag, with the single-word message: "SOON."

This blatant threat to claim the resource-abundant land, which is a member of the NATO alliance, provoked swift and firm criticism from Denmark's officials.

"We are close allies and should keep work together as such. American security is also the Arctic's and Denmark’s security," declared the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "Our nation and the United States collaborate to guarantee security in the North."

The diplomat additionally pointed out that Denmark had substantially boosted its military budget recently, allocating a substantial amount specifically for Northern and regional defence. "Furthermore, we expect complete recognition for the territorial integrity of the our realm," he emphasized.

Administrative Appointments and Strategic Interests

The tensions were further complicated by the previous naming of a Southern governor as a representative to Greenland. The appointee had publicly expressed gratitude to the president, stating it was an "privilege" to work in a unpaid role to "make Greenland a part of the US."

Following the events in Venezuela, this representative commended the president's decisive move, linking it to the wider "war on drugs."

Ever since assuming office, the US president has consistently alarmed transatlantic allies with his stated desire in Greenland. The island is viewed as critically important for defence and future resource extraction. It already hosts the most northerly US air base.

Leaving the Door Open to Force

In a significant media interview, the president refused to rule out the resorting to military force to gain control of Greenland. This position comes during growing global competition 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 described Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for international security."

Growing Tensions and Indigenous Resistance

In reaction 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 prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland delivered a unified and forceful rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot take over other countries."

Public opinion in Greenland shows a nuanced sentiment. While a vast majority of the island's inhabitants seek self-rule from Denmark, there is simultaneously scant appetite to join the United States. The island has had the legal right to seek independence for over a decade.

Expert Assessment: A Plausible Threat?

Some experts are now reconsidering the possibility of such a move. One policy analyst focusing in defence admitted she had previously discounted the sabre-rattling but was "currently not so sure."

"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to station a couple hundred or a few thousand soldiers inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could intervene about it," she concluded.