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

Military Intervention Dismissed

Stephen Miller, stated emphatically the use of armed force would not be necessary to assume control of 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,” he incorrectly stated, despite the actual figure being closer to 57,000.

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

Growing Tensions

These remarks follow a period of increasing friction between the US and Denmark after the American leader's repeated interest to annex Greenland.

A key parliamentary committee in Denmark has called an emergency session to discuss the kingdom’s relationship with the United States.

In his interview, Miller told CNN that control over Greenland could be achieved without military intervention due to its small population.

Challenging Copenhagen's Rule

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

He added: “As the leading power within the power of NATO. For the US to protect Arctic interests to defend NATO, 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 over this issue.”

Global Responses

These statements came after Trump said over the weekend, fresh from events in Venezuela, that the US desired the territory “very badly”.

Denmark's leader, Mette Frederiksen, reacted by warning that an American aggression against a NATO ally would mean the end of the military alliance 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

Miller’s comments were preceded by his wife, podcaster Katie Miller, shared a digital image of Greenland draped in a US flag with the tag “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... Donald Trump has been very clear about that.”

The territory remained a colony until 1953, when it became part of the kingdom of Denmark. The US has had a military base there, critical to its ballistic missile early warning system.

Recently, there has been growing support for self-rule, particularly after 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: “Greenland belongs to us.”