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One of Donald Trump’s senior advisors has ramped up the pressure on the Danish government by disputing Copenhagen’s claim to Greenland.

Force Deemed Unnecessary

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

“The idea of military action against Greenland? Greenland has 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 valid claim to the region, which is a one-time colonial possession and remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Escalating Diplomatic Strains

These remarks follow a period of growing tensions between the US and Denmark after the US president’s renewed calls to purchase Greenland.

The Danish foreign policy committee has called an extraordinary meeting to examine the bilateral ties with the United States.

In his interview, Miller told CNN that control over Greenland could be achieved without military intervention due to its limited number of residents.

Questioning Danish Sovereignty

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

Miller continued: “The US is the power of NATO. For the US to protect Arctic interests to safeguard the alliance, it is logical that Greenland should be incorporated into the United States.”

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

Global Responses

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

Denmark's leader, Mette Frederiksen, responded by warning that an American aggression against a NATO ally would mean the end of the military alliance and “post-Second World War security”.

The island's own leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, also made a strong statement, urging Trump to abandon his “notions of acquisition” and labeled American rhetoric of being “wholly inappropriate”.

Historical Context and Current Stance

The aide's assertions came after his wife, a conservative commentator, posted a digital image of Greenland draped in a US flag with the tag “SOON”.

Asked about the online image, he responded by stating: “It has been the formal position of the US government since the start of this presidency... Donald Trump has been very clear about that.”

The territory remained a colony until 1953, when it became part of the kingdom of Denmark. The US has had a strategic installation there, important for its national missile defense network.

Recently, there has been increasing sentiment for self-rule, particularly after disclosures about Denmark’s treatment of the local population.

But amid the spectre of acquisition talk, Greenland in March established a new coalition government in a demonstration of solidarity, with its founding document declaring: “We are the rightful owners of Greenland.”