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One of Donald Trump’s senior advisors has increased tensions on Denmark by questioning Denmark's sovereign claim to the vast Arctic island.

Military Intervention Dismissed

Stephen Miller, stated emphatically military intervention would not be needed to take over the northern landmass because “nobody is going to fight the United States militarily over the fate of Greenland”.

“What do you mean military action against Greenland? Greenland has a population of 30,000 people,” Miller inaccurately claimed, despite the actual figure being closer to 57,000.

He also suggested that Denmark does not have a legitimate right to the territory, which is a former Danish colony and continues as a constituent country of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Growing Tensions

Miller’s comments come amid increasing friction between the two NATO allies after the US president’s renewed calls to acquire Greenland.

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

In his interview, Miller told CNN that control over Greenland could be gained without armed conflict due to its limited number of residents.

Questioning Danish Sovereignty

“The core issue is what right does Denmark have to assert control over Greenland? What is the basis of their territorial claim?” Miller questioned.

Miller continued: “As the leading power within the dominant force in NATO. For the US to protect Arctic interests to safeguard the alliance, it is logical that Greenland should be part of the US.”

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 militarily.”

Global Responses

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

Denmark's leader, Mette Frederiksen, reacted by saying that an American aggression against a fellow alliance member 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 “notions of acquisition” and labeled American rhetoric of being “completely and utterly unacceptable”.

Historical Context and Current Stance

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

When questioned on the social media post, he laughed and said: “This has represented the official stance 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 kingdom of Denmark. The US has had a strategic installation there, important for its ballistic missile early warning system.

In recent years, there has been growing support for self-rule, particularly after disclosures about historical policies of Greenlandic people.

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