US Attack on Caracas Stokes Anxieties of Future Greenland Takeover.

The recent US-led military action in Venezuela and the detention of its president have renewed unease regarding Washington's ambitions on Greenland. Followers of the ex-president's political movement have reportedly focused on the strategically important island following the operations in South America.

Inflammatory Posts and Official Outrage

Merely hours following the start of the Caracas campaign, a well-known right-wing commentator, who is married to a high-ranking presidential aide, shared a suggestive image. The picture showed Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, with the cryptic caption: "COMING."

This overt threat to absorb the resource-abundant land, which is a part of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered swift and strong condemnation from Denmark's officials.

"We are close allies and should continue to cooperate as such. American security is also Greenland’s and Denmark’s security," stated the Copenhagen's envoy to the United States. "Our nation and the US work together to ensure security in the North."

The ambassador additionally pointed out that Denmark had significantly boosted its military budget recently, earmarking a large sum expressly for Northern and North Atlantic defence. "Furthermore, we expect complete recognition for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he emphasized.

Political Moves and Geopolitical Interests

The tensions were additionally complicated by the previous appointment of a Southern governor as a representative to Greenland. The appointee had publicly expressed gratitude to the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "privilege" to work in a unpaid role to "bring Greenland into the US."

Following the events in Venezuela, this envoy praised the administration's decisive move, linking it to the broader "fight against narcotics."

Ever since assuming office, the US president has repeatedly unnerved transatlantic allies with his stated desire in Greenland. The island is viewed as critically strategic for national security and potential mineral exploitation. It already houses the northernmost US air base.

Leaving the Door Open to Military Action

In a notable media appearance, the leader refused to exclude the use of military force to acquire Greenland. This position comes during 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 described Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll look after, and we’ll value them... But we need that for global security."

Mounting Tensions and Local Resistance

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

The leaders of both Greenland issued a unified and stern statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not annex other countries."

Public opinion in Greenland shows a nuanced sentiment. While a vast majority of the island's residents desire self-rule from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously scant desire to become part of the United States. The territory has had the legal right to declare sovereignty for over a decade.

Expert Assessment: A Plausible Threat?

Some analysts are increasingly reconsidering the possibility of such a move. One thinktank analyst focusing in military analysis conceded 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 soldiers inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me which power could intervene about it," she observed.