After the U.S. "Delta Force" swiftly "arrested" Venezuelan President Maduro, Trump immediately turned his attention to Greenland in the north of the American continent, causing fear in Denmark and even the entire Europe. For traditional allies across the Atlantic, this was a nightmare they had never imagined: the leader of NATO, threatening to take action against the territory of another NATO member.

Trump has developed an obsession with Greenland

The current U.S. geopolitical ambition to gain control over Greenland has evolved into a carefully orchestrated diplomatic drama. Although the White House openly stated "the use of force is not ruled out," which seems contradictory to Secretary of State Rubio's private assurance that "the goal is to purchase," according to an analysis by The Wall Street Journal, this is actually a "good cop, bad cop" strategy by the Trump administration: on one hand, the White House applies extreme pressure, even humiliating Denmark's military as "dog sleds," while on the other hand, Rubio comforts Congress, intending to "swallow" the world's largest island through intimidation.

First, let's look at the "bad cop" role played by the White House, which is truly "going all out." A White House spokesperson boldly declared that taking over Greenland is a top priority for U.S. national security, and using the U.S. military on this issue has always been an option for Trump. Trump's close advisor, Stephen Miller, directly stated in an interview that no one would fight the United States over Greenland.

Trump has also firmly expressed his determination to take over Greenland. In an attempt to appease Trump, Denmark tried to make further concessions, allowing the U.S. to station more troops in Greenland and obtain new, better mining rights. At the same time, Denmark also plans to spend billions of dollars to purchase more weapons. However, Trump dismissed these efforts, mocking Copenhagen as having bought "a bunch of dog sleds," completely ignoring the dignity of its allies.

Trump mocks Denmark, being aggressive

However, compared to the White House's radical threats, the traditionally experienced Secretary of State Rubio played the role of the "good cop" and "comforter." According to a独家 report by The Wall Street Journal, Rubio attempted to calm the situation regarding Greenland during a closed-door briefing in the Congress on January 5th. Originally, this briefing was meant to inform both parties' members about the details of the Venezuela operation, but Senator Schumer, the Democratic leader of the Senate, suddenly asked sharply: Is Trump planning to replicate a military action like Venezuela in Mexico or Greenland?

Rubio said that the Trump administration's plan is to "buy," rather than immediately launch a military invasion. The White House's radical statements are intended to pressure Denmark in negotiations. Trump's ally, Republican Congressman Graham, also supported this, saying that "all of this is for negotiation." However, the public is not impressed by Rubio's "good cop" act, because everyone knows that Rubio cannot make decisions, and the final decision-making power lies with Trump. Rubio is merely an "executor" in foreign affairs.

Many U.S. lawmakers and European officials are now worried that military actions by the U.S. in Venezuela, Iran, etc., show that Trump is more inclined to solve problems by force. More worrying is that the U.S. military action in Venezuela went smoothly, which may lead Trump, who used to be reluctant to engage in foreign wars, to change his previous views and see foreign military actions as a "simple challenge." If combined with Trump's high degree of uncertainty, his obsession with Greenland, and his disdain for Europe, these factors will undoubtedly increase the probability of Trump seizing Greenland by force in the future.

Rubio plays the "good cop" in Congress

Faced with the open threat from the United States, the Danish Prime Minister could only make a strong statement, warning that if one country attacks another NATO member, the current international order and NATO would "collapse instantly." As fears of U.S. military actions spread throughout Europe, European countries, in addition to issuing statements supporting Denmark, are also discussing response measures. However, regardless of the circumstances, the NATO "collective defense" mechanism has shown significant weakening.

Original: toutiao.com/article/7592826577205920308/

Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.