US Military Operation on Caracas Raises Fears of Potential Greenland Annexation.

The latest US-led military action in Venezuela and the capture of its leader have sparked apprehension regarding America's designs on the Arctic territory. Members of the ex-president's base have allegedly turned their attention to the resource-rich landmass following the operations in the southern hemisphere.

Provocative Posts and Official Outrage

Only a short time after the start of the Venezuelan campaign, a well-known right-wing podcaster, who is married to a senior presidential adviser, posted a suggestive map. The picture showed Greenland draped with the American flag, with the cryptic caption: "COMING."

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

"Denmark and the US are close allies and should continue to cooperate as such. US security is equally Greenland’s and our security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "Our nation and the United States collaborate to ensure security in the North."

The ambassador additionally highlighted that the kingdom had substantially increased its defence spending this year, allocating a large sum expressly for Arctic and North Atlantic defence. "And yes, we expect full respect for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he emphasized.

Administrative Moves and Geopolitical Goals

The tensions were additionally complicated by the previous appointment of a US state governor as a representative to Greenland. The appointee had publicly thanked the president, saying it was an "privilege" to work in a unpaid capacity to "bring Greenland into the US."

Following the events in Venezuela, this representative praised the president's actions, connecting it to the broader "fight against narcotics."

Ever since returning to office, the American leader has consistently unnerved transatlantic partners with his expressed desire in Greenland. The island is viewed as critically strategic for defence and future mineral exploitation. It currently houses the most northerly US air base.

Refusing to Rule Out Military Action

In a notable television interview, the president declined to exclude the use of armed action to gain control of Greenland. This stance comes during intensifying great-power 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 stated.

He characterized Greenland as having a "tiny amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll value them... But we need that for international security."

Growing Tensions and Indigenous Resistance

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

The prime ministers 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 reveals a complex picture. While a overwhelming percentage of the territory's inhabitants desire self-rule from Denmark, there is simultaneously little to no appetite to become part of the United States. The island has had the option to declare sovereignty for over a decade.

Analyst View: A Plausible Scenario?

Military experts are now reconsidering the likelihood of such a action. One thinktank analyst focusing in defence conceded she had previously discounted the rhetoric but was "currently not so sure."

"It wouldn't be that hard for the US to deploy a couple hundred or a couple thousand soldiers inside of Greenland, and it's not clear to me which power could intervene about it," she observed.