US President Donald Trump has ordered the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) to prepare a plan for a military invasion of Greenland. According to The Mail on Sunday, the initiative is being pushed by a group of political "hawks" led by Stephen Miller, who seek to preempt potential Russian and Chinese expansion in the Arctic region. UNN reports this.
Details
The radicalization of the White House's plans occurred against the backdrop of a successful operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. However, the US military leadership at the level of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is resisting the order, arguing that the actions are illegal and lack congressional support.
Motives and domestic political context
British diplomats link Trump's actions to the approaching midterm congressional elections. According to analysts, the president is trying to divert voters' attention from negative economic indicators to prevent the loss of Republican control over the legislature.
To deter the president from the idea of occupying the island, the military is proposing alternative operations. These include intercepting Russia's "shadow fleet," which Moscow uses to circumvent sanctions, or striking targets in Iran.
Threat to NATO's existence
Diplomatic circles have already developed an "escalation scenario," according to which the use of force or political coercion to break Greenland's ties with Denmark would lead to a direct conflict between Washington and Keir Starmer's government and other European allies.
Diplomatic cables note that the occupation of Greenland could become a tool to destroy NATO from within.
NATO or Greenland? Trump faces a difficult choice - Politico09.01.26, 09:17