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A key figure from Donald Trump's senior advisors has increased tensions on Denmark by disputing Denmark's sovereign claim to the vast Arctic island.

Force Deemed Unnecessary

The president’s deputy chief of staff, stated emphatically military intervention would not be needed to take over the Arctic territory because “nobody is going to fight the United States militarily over the fate of Greenland”.

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

Miller further proposed that Copenhagen lacks a legitimate right to the region, which is a former Danish colony and continues as a constituent country of the Danish kingdom.

Growing Tensions

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

A key parliamentary committee in Denmark has called an emergency session to examine the kingdom’s relationship with the United States.

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

Questioning Danish Sovereignty

“The core issue is on what grounds does Denmark have to exercise sovereignty over Greenland? What legal foundation of their ownership claim?” Miller questioned.

He added: “As the leading power within the power of NATO. For the US to secure the Arctic region to safeguard the alliance, it is logical that Greenland should be part of the US.”

He stated there was “no requirement to even think or talk about” a military operation in Greenland, reiterating: “Nobody is going to fight the US over this issue.”

Global Responses

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

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

The island's own leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, also made a strong statement, calling on the US president to give up his “fantasies about annexation” 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 map on social media of Greenland draped in a US flag with the caption “IN THE NEAR FUTURE”.

When questioned on the online image, he laughed and said: “This has represented the official stance of the US government since the start of this presidency... The president has been explicit about that.”

The territory remained a colony until 1953, when it was integrated of the Danish realm. The US maintains a military base there, critical to its national missile defense network.

In recent years, there has been increasing sentiment for self-rule, especially following revelations about Denmark’s treatment of the local population.

However, facing the prospect of Trump’s threat, Greenland in March established a new unity government in a demonstration of solidarity, with its founding document declaring: “Greenland belongs to us.”