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One of Donald Trump’s top aides has increased tensions on the Danish government by disputing Denmark's sovereign claim to Greenland.

Force Deemed Unnecessary

The president’s deputy chief of staff, also claimed military intervention would not be necessary to take over the northern landmass because “nobody is going to fight 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 legitimate right to the territory, which is a former Danish colony and remains part of the Danish kingdom.

Growing Tensions

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

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

Speaking to media, Miller asserted that control over Greenland could be gained without armed conflict due to its small population.

Questioning Danish Sovereignty

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

He added: “The US is 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 need to even think or talk about” a armed takeover in Greenland, reiterating: “No country would wage war against the US militarily.”

Global Responses

These statements came after Trump remarked recently, fresh from other foreign policy actions, that the US needed Greenland “urgently”.

The Danish prime minister, 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”.

Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, issued 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 were preceded by his wife, a conservative commentator, shared a digital image of Greenland under a US flag with the caption “SOON”.

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... The president has been explicit about that.”

The territory remained a colony until 1953, when it was integrated of the kingdom of Denmark. The US has had a strategic installation there, important for its ballistic missile early warning system.

In recent years, there has been increasing sentiment for self-rule, especially following disclosures about historical policies 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 agreement stating: “Greenland belongs to us.”