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One of Donald Trump’s top aides has ramped up the pressure on the Danish government by questioning Copenhagen’s claim to the vast Arctic island.

Military Intervention Dismissed

The president’s deputy chief of staff, also claimed the use of armed force would not be necessary to take over the northern landmass because “no nation would engage the United States in combat over the future of Greenland”.

“What do you mean military action against Greenland? Greenland has 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 valid claim to the territory, 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 two NATO allies after the US president’s renewed calls to purchase Greenland.

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

Speaking to media, Miller asserted that control over Greenland could be gained without armed conflict 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 legal foundation of their ownership claim?” Miller questioned.

Miller continued: “The US is the power of NATO. For the US to protect Arctic interests to defend NATO, obviously Greenland should be incorporated into the United States.”

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

Global Responses

These statements came after Trump said over the weekend, fresh from events in Venezuela, that the US needed Greenland “urgently”.

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

Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, issued a forceful rebuke, urging Trump to abandon his “notions of acquisition” and accused the US of being “wholly inappropriate”.

Historical Context and Current Stance

Miller’s comments were preceded by his wife, podcaster Katie Miller, shared a map on social media of Greenland under a US flag with the tag “IN THE NEAR FUTURE”.

When questioned on the social media post, he laughed and said: “This has represented the official stance of the US government since the start of this presidency... The president has been very clear about that.”

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

In recent years, there has been increasing sentiment for self-rule, particularly after revelations about Denmark’s treatment of Greenlandic people.

But amid the spectre of Trump’s threat, Greenland in March established a new coalition government in a demonstration of solidarity, with its agreement stating: “Greenland belongs to us.”