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

Military Intervention Dismissed

Stephen Miller, also claimed the use of armed force would not be needed to assume control of the Arctic territory because “no nation would engage the United States in combat over the fate of Greenland”.

“The idea of military action against Greenland? Its population numbers just a population of 30,000 people,” he incorrectly stated, 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 Kingdom of Denmark.

Growing Tensions

Miller’s comments follow a period of growing tensions between the two NATO allies after the US president’s renewed calls to annex Greenland.

A key parliamentary committee in Denmark has called an emergency session to discuss the bilateral ties with the United States.

Speaking to media, Miller told CNN that dominion of the island could be achieved without armed conflict 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?” he asked.

Miller continued: “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, reiterating: “Nobody is going to fight the US militarily.”

Global Responses

His comments followed Trump said over the weekend, fresh from other foreign policy actions, that the US needed Greenland “very badly”.

Denmark's leader, Mette Frederiksen, responded by saying that an attack by the US a fellow alliance member would mean the collapse of the defensive pact and “post-Second World War security”.

Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, issued a forceful rebuke, urging Trump to abandon his “fantasies about annexation” and accused the US of being “completely and utterly unacceptable”.

Historical Context and Current Stance

Miller’s comments were preceded by his wife, a conservative commentator, posted a map on social media of Greenland draped in a US flag with the caption “IN THE NEAR FUTURE”.

Asked about the online image, he laughed and said: “This has represented the formal position of the US government since the start of this presidency... Donald Trump has been explicit about that.”

The territory was under colonial rule until 1953, when it became part of the kingdom of Denmark. The US maintains a military base there, important for its national missile defense network.

Recently, there has been growing support for self-rule, especially following disclosures about historical policies 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.”