The Times: Will Greenland be Trump’s next target after Venezuela?
The US arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro raises growing fears in Europe that Washington’s threats to annex Greenland could shift from political rhetoric to practical steps.
The Times newspaper explained in a report by its correspondent in Berlin Oliver Moody that the intervention of US President Donald Trump’s administration in Venezuela and the airstrikes on military sites there reminded European officials that Washington’s threats to annex Greenland may not be just words.
Katie Miller, the wife of influential White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, posted a photo on X showing the semi-autonomous Danish territory covered in the American flag, with the caption “Coming soon”.
Greenland Prime Minister Jens Fredrik Nielsen called the post “disrespectful” and wrote on X that “relations between states and peoples are built on mutual respect and international law, not on symbolic gestures that ignore our situation and rights,” adding that “there is no reason to panic or worry… Our country isn’t for sale, and our future isn’t decided by social media posts”.
Despite Greenland’s assurances that there is no reason to panic, Trump continues to state that the United States needs Greenland for defensive reasons, in a broader context that reflects the priority of restoring American hegemony in the Western Hemisphere according to the updated US Security Strategy.
The island is seen as strategically important within US defense and Washington’s traditional sphere of influence, although it enjoys broad autonomy within the Danish kingdom, with growing popular support for independence.
The correspondent points to a historical background of American influence and the Danish colonial controversy, along with recent political and security moves, such as visits by prominent American figures and the appointment of a special envoy to Greenland, which reinforces European suspicions.
The report concluded that what happened in Venezuela is a strong signal of Washington’s seriousness in imposing its regional agenda, warning that ignoring threats related to Greenland could be a strategic mistake and that Europe should take them seriously.
