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

Force Deemed Unnecessary

Stephen Miller, also claimed the use of armed force would not be required to take over the Arctic territory 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 30,000 inhabitants people,” Miller inaccurately claimed, the correct number being closer to 57,000.

He also suggested that Copenhagen lacks a legitimate right to the territory, which is a one-time colonial possession and remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Escalating Diplomatic Strains

These remarks follow a period of growing tensions between the two NATO allies after the American leader's repeated interest to purchase 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 control over Greenland could be achieved without military intervention due to its limited number of residents.

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 dominant force in NATO. For the US to protect Arctic interests to safeguard the alliance, obviously Greenland should be incorporated into the United States.”

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

International Reactions

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

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

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

Historical Context and Current Stance

The aide's assertions were preceded by his wife, podcaster Katie Miller, shared a map on social media of Greenland draped in a US flag with the tag “SOON”.

Asked about the social media post, he responded by stating: “This has represented the formal position of the US government since the start of this presidency... Donald Trump has been very clear about that.”

The territory was under colonial rule until 1953, when it was integrated of the Danish realm. The US maintains a strategic installation there, important for its national missile defense network.

Recently, there has been increasing sentiment for Greenlandic independence, particularly after revelations about Denmark’s treatment of Greenlandic people.

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