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One of Donald Trump’s senior advisors has ramped up the pressure on the Danish government by disputing Copenhagen’s claim to Greenland.

Force Deemed Unnecessary

The president’s deputy chief of staff, stated emphatically the use of armed force would not be needed to assume control of the northern landmass because “nobody is going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland”.

“What do you mean military action against Greenland? Its population numbers just a population of 30,000 people,” Miller inaccurately claimed, the correct number being closer to 57,000.

Miller further proposed that Copenhagen lacks 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 US and Denmark after the US president’s renewed calls to acquire Greenland.

The Danish foreign policy committee has called an extraordinary meeting to examine the bilateral ties 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 core issue is on what grounds does Denmark have to exercise sovereignty over Greenland? What is the basis 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 safeguard the alliance, it is logical that Greenland should be part of the US.”

He stated there was “no requirement 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

His comments came after Trump said over the weekend, following events in Venezuela, that the US needed Greenland “urgently”.

Denmark's leader, Mette Frederiksen, responded by warning that an American aggression against a NATO ally would mean the end of the defensive pact and “the postwar security order”.

The island's own leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, issued a forceful rebuke, urging Trump to abandon his “fantasies about annexation” and labeled American rhetoric of being “completely and utterly unacceptable”.

Background and Present Position

The aide's assertions were preceded by his wife, a conservative commentator, posted a digital image of Greenland under a US flag with the tag “SOON”.

Asked about the online image, he responded by stating: “It has been the official stance of the US government from the beginning of this administration... Donald Trump has been explicit about that.”

The territory remained a colony until 1953, when it was integrated of the kingdom of Denmark. The US has had a strategic installation there, critical to its national missile defense network.

In recent years, there has been increasing sentiment for Greenlandic independence, especially following disclosures about historical policies of the local population.

However, facing the prospect of Trump’s threat, Greenland in March established a new unity government in a demonstration of solidarity, with its founding document declaring: “We are the rightful owners of Greenland.”