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One of Donald Trump’s top aides has increased tensions on Denmark by challenging Copenhagen’s claim to the vast Arctic island.

Military Intervention Dismissed

Stephen Miller, also claimed the use of armed force would not be needed to take over the northern landmass because “nobody is going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland”.

“What do you mean military action against Greenland? Its population numbers just 30,000 inhabitants people,” Miller inaccurately claimed, despite the actual figure being closer to 57,000.

Miller further proposed that Denmark does not have a legitimate right to the region, which is a former Danish colony and continues as a constituent country of the Danish kingdom.

Escalating Diplomatic Strains

These remarks follow a period of increasing friction between the two NATO allies after the US president’s renewed calls to acquire Greenland.

The Danish foreign policy committee has called an emergency session to examine the kingdom’s relationship with the United States.

In his interview, Miller told CNN that dominion of the island could be achieved without military intervention due to its limited number of residents.

Questioning Danish Sovereignty

“The real question is on what grounds does Denmark have to exercise sovereignty over Greenland? What is the basis of their territorial claim?” Miller questioned.

Miller continued: “The US is the dominant force in NATO. For the US to protect Arctic interests to defend NATO, it is logical that Greenland should be incorporated into the United States.”

There was, he said “no need to even think or talk about” a armed takeover in Greenland, reiterating: “No country would wage war against the US over this issue.”

Global Responses

These statements followed Trump said over the weekend, following events in Venezuela, that the US desired the territory “urgently”.

The Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, responded by saying that an American aggression against a fellow alliance member would mean the collapse of the defensive pact and “the postwar security order”.

Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, issued a strong statement, urging Trump to give up his “notions of acquisition” and labeled American rhetoric of being “completely and utterly unacceptable”.

Background and Present Position

Miller’s comments were preceded by his wife, podcaster Katie Miller, shared a digital image of Greenland draped in a US flag with the caption “IN THE NEAR FUTURE”.

When questioned on the online image, he responded by stating: “This has represented the official stance of the US government since the start of this presidency... Donald Trump has been very clear about that.”

The territory was under colonial rule until 1953, when it was integrated of the Danish realm. The US maintains a military base there, critical to its ballistic missile early warning system.

In recent years, there has been growing support for Greenlandic independence, particularly after revelations about Denmark’s treatment of the local population.

However, facing the spectre of acquisition talk, Greenland in March formed a new unity government in a demonstration of solidarity, with its founding document declaring: “Greenland belongs to us.”