US Attack on Venezuela Stokes Anxieties of Future Greenland Annexation.

Recent US-led strike in Venezuela and the capture of its leader have ignited unease regarding America's designs on the Arctic territory. Followers of the former president's base have reportedly set their sights on the vast landmass following the operations in South America.

Inflammatory Posts and Official Backlash

Merely hours after the start of the Venezuelan campaign, a well-known conservative commentator, who is the spouse of a senior White House adviser, shared a suggestive map. The graphic depicted Greenland draped with the American flag, accompanied by single-word caption: "SOON."

This overt threat to claim the mineral-rich land, which is a member of the North Atlantic alliance, triggered immediate and strong condemnation from Danish representatives.

"We are strong partners and should continue to work together as such. US security is equally Greenland’s and our security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "The Kingdom of Denmark and the United States work together to guarantee security in the North."

The ambassador additionally pointed out that Denmark had substantially increased its defence spending recently, allocating a large sum expressly for Northern and North Atlantic security. "And yes, we expect complete recognition for the sovereign borders of the Kingdom of Denmark," he added.

Administrative Appointments and Strategic Interests

The tensions were further complicated by the previous appointment of a US state governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had publicly expressed gratitude to the president, saying it was an "honour" to serve in a volunteer capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."

After the events in Venezuela, this representative commended the administration's actions, linking it to the wider "fight against narcotics."

Ever since returning to office, the American leader has repeatedly alarmed transatlantic partners with his expressed interest in Greenland. The territory is viewed as vitally strategic for national security and future mineral exploitation. It already houses the northernmost US air base.

Leaving the Door Open to Military Action

In a notable television appearance, the president refused to exclude the resorting to armed action to acquire Greenland. This position comes amid 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 remarked.

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 international security."

Mounting Tensions and Local Opposition

In reaction to this constant "rhetoric" 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 issued a joint and forceful statement: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You must not take over other countries."

Public opinion in Greenland shows a nuanced sentiment. While a overwhelming percentage of the island's residents desire self-rule from Denmark, there is simultaneously little to no desire to join the United States. The island has had the legal right to declare independence for many years.

Expert View: A Credible Scenario?

Military experts are now re-evaluating the likelihood of such a action. One policy analyst specializing 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 station a couple hundred or a couple thousand soldiers on Greenland, and it's not clear to me which power could do anything about it," she observed.