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A key figure from Donald Trump's top aides has ramped up the pressure on the Danish government by questioning Copenhagen’s claim to the vast Arctic island.

Force Deemed Unnecessary

Stephen Miller, stated emphatically military intervention would not be necessary to assume control of the Arctic territory because “no nation would engage the United States in combat over the fate of Greenland”.

“What do you mean 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.

He also suggested that Copenhagen lacks a valid claim to the territory, which is a former Danish colony and continues as a constituent country of the Danish kingdom.

Growing Tensions

Miller’s comments follow a period of increasing friction between the two NATO allies after the US president’s renewed calls to acquire Greenland.

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

Speaking to media, Miller told CNN that control over Greenland 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 assert control over Greenland? What is the basis of their territorial claim?” he asked.

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

He stated there was “no need to even consider or discuss” a armed takeover in Greenland, adding: “Nobody is going to fight the US over this issue.”

Global Responses

These statements came after Trump said over the weekend, fresh from 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 “the postwar security order”.

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 “wholly inappropriate”.

Historical Context and Current Stance

Miller’s comments came after his wife, a conservative commentator, posted a digital image of Greenland draped in a US flag with the caption “SOON”.

Asked about the social media post, he responded by stating: “This has represented the official stance of the US government since the beginning of this administration... The president has been explicit about that.”

Greenland 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.

In recent years, there has been growing support for Greenlandic independence, particularly after revelations about Denmark’s treatment of Greenlandic people.

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