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One of Donald Trump’s senior advisors has increased tensions on Denmark by disputing Copenhagen’s claim to Greenland.

Military Intervention Dismissed

Stephen Miller, stated emphatically the use of armed force would not be necessary to take over the Arctic territory because “no nation would engage the United States in combat over the future of Greenland”.

“The idea of military action against Greenland? Its population numbers just 30,000 inhabitants people,” he incorrectly stated, despite the actual figure being closer to 57,000.

Miller further proposed that Denmark does not have a valid claim to the territory, which is a former Danish colony and remains part of the Danish kingdom.

Growing Tensions

Miller’s comments follow a period of increasing friction between the two NATO allies after the American leader's repeated interest to purchase Greenland.

The Danish foreign policy committee has convened an emergency session to examine the bilateral ties with the United States.

In his interview, Miller asserted that dominion of the island could be achieved without military intervention due to its limited number of residents.

Questioning Danish Sovereignty

“The core issue is on what grounds does Denmark have to assert control over Greenland? What legal foundation of their ownership claim?” he asked.

Miller continued: “The US is the power of NATO. For the US to secure the Arctic region to safeguard the alliance, obviously Greenland should be part of the US.”

He stated there was “no need to even consider or discuss” a armed takeover in Greenland, adding: “No country would wage war against the US militarily.”

International Reactions

These statements followed Trump remarked recently, following events in Venezuela, that the US desired the territory “urgently”.

Denmark's leader, Mette Frederiksen, reacted by saying that an attack by the US a NATO ally would mean the collapse of the military alliance and “post-Second World War security”.

The island's own leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, also made a forceful rebuke, calling on the US president to abandon his “fantasies about annexation” and accused the US of being “completely and utterly unacceptable”.

Historical Context and Current Stance

Miller’s comments came after his wife, podcaster Katie Miller, shared a digital image of Greenland draped in a US flag with the caption “IN THE NEAR FUTURE”.

Asked about the online image, he responded by stating: “This has represented the formal position of the US government from the start of this presidency... The president has been explicit about that.”

The territory was under colonial rule until 1953, when it became part of the Danish realm. The US has had a strategic installation there, critical to its national missile defense network.

Recently, there has been growing support for self-rule, especially following revelations about historical policies of Greenlandic people.

But amid the spectre of Trump’s threat, 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.”