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A key figure from Donald Trump's senior advisors has ramped up the pressure on the Danish government by disputing Denmark's sovereign claim to the vast Arctic island.

Force Deemed Unnecessary

The president’s deputy chief of staff, stated emphatically the use of armed force 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 territory, which is a former Danish colony and remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Escalating Diplomatic Strains

These remarks come amid increasing friction between the US and Denmark after the American leader's repeated interest to annex Greenland.

The Danish foreign policy committee has convened an extraordinary meeting to examine the kingdom’s relationship with the United States.

In his interview, Miller asserted that control over Greenland could be gained without military intervention due to its small population.

Questioning Danish Sovereignty

“The real question is on what grounds does Denmark have to assert control over Greenland? What is the basis of their ownership claim?” Miller questioned.

Miller continued: “As the leading power within the power of NATO. For the US to protect Arctic interests to safeguard the alliance, obviously Greenland should be part of the US.”

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

International Reactions

These statements followed Trump remarked recently, following events in Venezuela, that the US needed Greenland “urgently”.

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

Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, issued a forceful rebuke, calling on the US president to give up his “notions of acquisition” and accused the US of being “completely and utterly unacceptable”.

Background and Present Position

The aide's assertions came after his wife, a conservative commentator, posted a map on social media of Greenland under a US flag with the caption “SOON”.

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

Greenland remained a colony until 1953, when it became part of the Danish realm. The US maintains a strategic installation there, critical to its national missile defense network.

In recent years, there has been growing support for self-rule, particularly after revelations about historical policies of the local population.

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