US attack on Venezuela raises fears of future Greenland takeover

Source: The Guardian

Sun 4 Jan 2026 06.49 EST
Last modified on Sun 4 Jan 2026 08.00 EST


The US bombardment of Venezuela and the capture of its president, Nicolás Maduro, have renewed fears of an American takeover of Greenland, as members of Donald Trump’s Maga movement gleefully set their sights on the Danish territory after the attack in South America.

Just hours after the US military operation in Venezuela, the rightwing podcaster Katie Miller – the wife of Stephen Miller, Donald Trump’s powerful deputy chief of staff for policy – posted on X a map of Greenland draped in the stars and stripes with the caption: “SOON.” The threat to annex the mineral-rich territory, which is part of the Nato alliance, drew immediate outrage from Danes. Copenhagen’s ambassador to the US, Jesper Møller Sørensen, reposted Miller’s provocation with a “friendly reminder” of the longstanding defence ties between the two countries.

“We are close allies and should continue to work together as such. US security is also Greenland’s and Denmark’s security,” he said. “The Kingdom of Denmark and the United States work together to ensure security in the Arctic.” He said Denmark had increased defence spending in 2025, committing $13.7bn (£10.2bn) “that can be used in the Arctic and North Atlantic. Because we take our joint security seriously.” He added: “And yes, we expect full respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark.”

Trump recently named Jeff Landry, the governor of Louisiana, as a special envoy to Greenland. Landry, a former state attorney general, thanked Trump for his appointment in December, saying it was “an honour to serve you in this volunteer position to make Greenland a part of the US”.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/04/greenland-denmark-us-venezuela-nicolas-maduro-donald-trump