by Janice McAllister
Fresh off the U.S.-led capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, President Donald Trump has reignited his push to acquire Greenland, saying military force is “always an option.” European leaders warn that Trump’s ambitions may not stop there.
Just days after a secretive U.S. military operation led to the dramatic capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, President Donald Trump is ramping up pressure on another front — this time in the Arctic. On Tuesday, the White House confirmed that Trump is once again pursuing the acquisition of Greenland and did not rule out military action, declaring the option “always on the table.”
“President Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. “The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the U.S. military is always an option at the commander-in-chief’s disposal.”
The remarks triggered a swift and coordinated response from European leaders, who condemned the renewed interest in what they view as a sovereignty violation. In a joint statement with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, the leaders of France, Germany, and the United Kingdom emphasized that Greenland’s future rests solely in the hands of its people and the Kingdom of Denmark. “Greenland belongs to its people,” the statement read. “It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland.”
Trump’s renewed focus on Greenland comes immediately after the high-profile abduction of Maduro — a bold move that has been praised by some as a show of American strength and criticized by others as a dangerous precedent. The operation, which took place over the weekend, marked the culmination of Trump’s long-standing promise to remove Maduro, whom he had frequently labeled a “narco-dictator.”
Analysts say the rapid shift from South America to the Arctic is no coincidence. With Maduro out of the way, Trump appears emboldened — and possibly looking to build momentum for a wider geopolitical campaign that extends beyond Venezuela and Greenland. Some close to the administration have hinted at further targets tied to national security interests, though no specific regions have been publicly identified.
In Greenland, the reaction was swift. The territory’s government requested an urgent meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt and her Danish counterpart, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, rejected Trump’s claims that Russian and Chinese influence in the region justifies American intervention. “We do not recognize this image of Greenland as overrun with Chinese investments or naval activity,” said Rasmussen.
Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen dismissed Trump’s claim that Denmark had done little to secure Greenland, sarcastically referencing the president’s remark that Denmark had only added “one more dog sled.” Poulsen noted that Copenhagen has invested billions in Arctic defense infrastructure.
The push for Greenland has been a recurring theme since Trump’s first term, but it was largely ridiculed or ignored by European allies — until now. The military operation in Venezuela has changed the equation. Trump has demonstrated a willingness to act swiftly and unilaterally, and his recent statements suggest he sees Greenland not as a symbolic prize, but as a strategic necessity in a new Cold War-style confrontation with Russia and China.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller added fuel to the fire, telling CNN that Denmark’s claim to Greenland is “historical but not absolute,” and that military conflict is unlikely. “Nobody is going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland,” Miller said. His wife, conservative commentator Katie Miller, posted a provocative image of the U.S. flag draped over a map of Greenland with the caption: “SOON.”
Still, even within Washington, the prospect of military action is dividing lawmakers. Senate Majority Leader John Thune sought to downplay the rhetoric, telling Politico that military intervention is “not something anybody is contemplating seriously.” Others, however, are taking it seriously. Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego introduced legislation this week to block funding for any military operation in Greenland. “He wouldn’t think twice about putting our troops in danger if it makes him feel big and strong,” Gallego said on social media. “The U.S. military is not a toy.”
Greenland’s population of just 56,000 people, mostly Indigenous Inuit, has repeatedly voiced its opposition to being absorbed by the United States. The idea is equally unpopular among Americans — a recent Pew poll shows only 7% support a military seizure of the island.
But Trump’s ambitions may extend well beyond public opinion. With a growing focus on strategic dominance, and amid rising tensions with both China and Russia, the Arctic has become a key theater. Greenland — rich in rare earth minerals, and home to the U.S. Thule Air Base — now sits at the center of a geopolitical storm.
And Trump, flush with the momentum of Maduro’s fall, doesn’t appear interested in slowing down.
(Associated Medias) – All rights reserved
L’articolo After Venezuela, Trump Sets Sights on Greenland — and More proviene da Associated Medias.
