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One of Donald Trump’s senior advisors has ramped up the pressure on the Danish government by questioning Denmark's sovereign claim to the vast Arctic island.

Military Intervention Dismissed

The president’s deputy chief of staff, stated emphatically military intervention would not be required to assume control of 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? Greenland has a population of 30,000 people,” Miller inaccurately claimed, the correct number being closer to 57,000.

He also suggested that Copenhagen lacks a valid claim to the region, which is a one-time colonial possession and continues as a constituent country 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 annex Greenland.

A key parliamentary committee in Denmark has convened an emergency session to discuss the bilateral ties with the United States.

In his interview, Miller asserted that dominion of the island could be achieved without armed conflict due to its small population.

Questioning Danish Sovereignty

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

He added: “The US is the power of NATO. For the US to protect Arctic interests to defend NATO, obviously Greenland should be part of the US.”

He stated there was “no need to even consider or discuss” a military operation in Greenland, adding: “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 needed Greenland “urgently”.

The Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, reacted by saying that an American aggression against a NATO ally would mean the collapse of the defensive pact and “post-Second World War security”.

Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, also made a forceful rebuke, calling on the US president to abandon his “fantasies about annexation” and accused the US of being “completely and utterly unacceptable”.

Historical Context and Current Stance

Miller’s comments came after his wife, a conservative commentator, posted a map on social media of Greenland draped in a US flag with the tag “IN THE NEAR FUTURE”.

When questioned on the online image, he responded by stating: “This has represented the official stance of the US government from the beginning of this administration... Donald Trump has been explicit about that.”

Greenland remained a colony until 1953, when it became part of the Danish realm. The US maintains a military base there, important for its national missile defense network.

Recently, there has been increasing sentiment for self-rule, particularly after revelations about historical policies of Greenlandic people.

But amid the prospect of Trump’s threat, Greenland in March formed a new coalition government in a show of national unity, with its founding document declaring: “We are the rightful owners of Greenland.”