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One of Donald Trump’s senior advisors has increased tensions on the Danish government by challenging Denmark's sovereign claim to Greenland.

Force Deemed Unnecessary

The president’s deputy chief of staff, stated emphatically the use of armed force would not be necessary to assume control of the northern landmass 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, 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 Danish kingdom.

Growing Tensions

Miller’s comments come amid 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 extraordinary meeting to examine the kingdom’s relationship with the United States.

Speaking to media, Miller asserted 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 on what grounds does Denmark have to exercise sovereignty over Greenland? What legal foundation of their territorial claim?” Miller questioned.

He added: “As the leading power within the dominant force in NATO. For the US to secure the Arctic region to defend NATO, obviously Greenland should be incorporated into the United States.”

He stated there was “no requirement to even consider or discuss” a military operation in Greenland, reiterating: “No country would wage war against the US over this issue.”

International Reactions

These statements followed Trump said over the weekend, following other foreign policy actions, that the US desired the territory “urgently”.

The Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, responded by warning that an attack by the US 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 “fantasies about annexation” and labeled American rhetoric of being “wholly inappropriate”.

Historical Context and Current Stance

Miller’s comments were preceded by his wife, a conservative commentator, posted a digital image of Greenland under a US flag with the caption “IN THE NEAR FUTURE”.

When questioned on the online image, he responded by stating: “It has been the formal position of the US government since the start of this presidency... The president has been explicit about that.”

The territory remained a colony until 1953, when it became part of the Danish realm. The US maintains a strategic installation there, important for its ballistic missile early warning system.

In recent years, there has been growing support for self-rule, especially following revelations about Denmark’s treatment of Greenlandic people.

However, facing the spectre of Trump’s threat, Greenland in March established a new unity government in a show of national unity, with its agreement stating: “We are the rightful owners of Greenland.”