After the U.S. military raid in Venezuela, is Greenland the next target of the Trump administration?
If the Trump administration has indeed been taking consecutive actions recently and showing a high-profile intention to control the self-governing island of Greenland under Danish sovereignty, then the U.S. military's sudden military operation to arrest President Maduro and his wife of Venezuela makes the threat of the Trump administration to take strong measures to control Greenland more concrete. After Venezuela, is Greenland becoming the next target of the Trump administration's strong measures?
The Trump administration has clearly been increasing pressure on Greenland recently. The day after the Venezuela operation, Trump once again emphasized that from the perspective of national security, the United States needs Greenland. Denmark does not have the capability to be responsible for Greenland's security. He also stated that the United States will "tackle the issue of Greenland" in about two months... Before this, Trump, during a media phone interview, when asked about the impact of this action on the Greenland issue, said that the relevant leaders should think for themselves. But the United States definitely needs Greenland... The Danish prime minister issued a statement late at night, urging the United States to immediately stop threatening its traditional allies, a land where the people have clearly stated they would not sell out. The prime minister of the Greenlandic autonomous government also expressed through social media Facebook last night and early this morning that it was open to discussion, but it must go through proper channels and respect international law. The European Union also immediately expressed support for Denmark's position.
Greenland enjoys a high degree of autonomy under the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark. Although there have always been political forces in the local area advocating for independence from the Kingdom of Denmark, a public opinion survey conducted at the beginning of January 2025 showed that 85% of the residents did not want to become American citizens because of this.
It should be said that since the beginning of his term, Trump has clearly expressed the determination of the United States to take over Greenland. Vice President Vance once even prepared to visit Greenland without being invited. However, the consistent opposition of the Danish government and the European Union obviously played a role, and Vance only visited the U.S. military base there. But Trump has clearly not changed his stance.
At the end of 2025, Trump announced on December 22nd the appointment of the governor of Louisiana State as a special envoy for Greenland affairs, emphasizing that the national security of the United States requires Greenland. The Danish government immediately summoned the U.S. ambassador to Denmark to express protest. The European Union also expressed support for Denmark. But two days ago, a post by Mrs. Stefanie Miller, deputy chief of staff of the White House, on the social media platform X caused waves. Mrs. Miller previously served as a spokesperson for the Department of Government Efficiency led by Elon Musk. In this post, she painted Greenland with the colors of the American flag and added text in capital letters "SOON", meaning "soon", suggesting that the United States will soon take over Greenland. In addition to the protests from the Danish government, the prime minister of the Greenlandic autonomous government also expressed dissatisfaction through Facebook, stating that the government lacked respect.
In response to Trump's latest statements, the Danish prime minister responded last night and early this morning, pointing out that the statement that the United States must control Greenland is absurd. The Kingdom of Denmark is a member of NATO, so it enjoys the security guarantees provided by the framework of the organization.
The behind-the-scenes of Trump's desire for this land of only 57,000 people is the increasingly intense competition between major powers, especially with China. On one hand, although this vast land is covered by ice all year round, there are rich mineral deposits beneath the ice, especially rare earth elements needed for modern technology. Now China, relying on its monopoly advantage in rare earth mining and refining, is competing with the United States and Europe. Therefore, the underground mineral resources of Greenland have become more significant for the United States. On the other hand, as global warming accelerates, the melting of ice in the Arctic region has made a shorter link between Europe and Asia possible.
But the biggest difference between Greenland and Venezuela is that Greenland is backed by Denmark, which is both a member of the European Union and a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Denmark is also a traditional ally of the United States, and its military equipment is mostly from the United States. Taking an action like Venezuela against Denmark would undoubtedly be a heavy blow to the relationship between the United States and its European allies.
Source: rfi
U.S. military captures Venezuelan president
Original: toutiao.com/article/1853536566187145/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.