American Attack on Caracas Fuels Concerns of Future Greenland Annexation.

The latest US-led military action in Venezuela and the detention of its leader have sparked worry regarding America's ambitions on the Arctic territory. Followers of the former president's political movement have allegedly turned their attention to the resource-rich landmass in the wake of the operations in South America.

Inflammatory Messages and Diplomatic Outrage

Only a short time following the initiation of the Venezuelan campaign, a well-known conservative commentator, who is married to a high-ranking presidential adviser, posted a symbolic map. The picture showed Greenland covered in the stars and stripes, with the single-word caption: "SOON."

This overt threat to annex the mineral-rich region, which is a part of the North Atlantic alliance, provoked immediate and firm criticism from Danish officials.

"Denmark and the US are close allies and should keep cooperate as such. American security is equally the Arctic's and our security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "Our nation and the United States collaborate to ensure security in the Arctic."

The ambassador additionally highlighted that Denmark had substantially increased its military budget this year, allocating a large sum expressly for Arctic and North Atlantic security. "Furthermore, we demand complete respect for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he added.

Political Appointments and Strategic Goals

The tensions were further exacerbated by the recent naming of a US state governor as a representative to Greenland. The appointee had openly thanked the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "privilege" to serve in a unpaid capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."

Following the military action in Venezuela, this envoy praised the administration's actions, linking it to the broader "fight against narcotics."

Ever since assuming office, the US president has repeatedly unnerved European allies with his expressed interest in Greenland. The island is viewed as vitally important for national security and potential resource extraction. It currently houses the northernmost US air base.

Refusing to Rule Out Military Action

In a significant media interview, the president declined to exclude the resorting to armed action to gain control of Greenland. This position comes during intensifying 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 look after, and we’ll value them... But we need that for international security."

Growing Friction and Indigenous Resistance

In reaction to this persistent "rhetoric" of threats, Denmark's security agency took the extraordinary step last month of classifying the United States as a "security risk."

The leaders of Denmark and Greenland delivered a unified and stern rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot annex other countries."

Public opinion in Greenland reveals a nuanced picture. While a overwhelming percentage of the territory's inhabitants desire self-rule from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously scant desire to become part of the United States. The island has had the legal right to seek sovereignty for over a decade.

Expert View: A Plausible Scenario?

Military experts are increasingly re-evaluating the possibility of such a action. One thinktank director focusing in military analysis conceded she had previously dismissed the rhetoric but was "currently not so sure."

"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to deploy a few hundred or a few thousand soldiers inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me who could do anything about it," she observed.