🔗 Share this article

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

Military Intervention Dismissed

The president’s deputy chief of staff, also claimed military intervention would not be required 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? Its population numbers just 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 valid claim to the region, which is a former Danish colony and continues as a constituent country of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Escalating Diplomatic Strains

These remarks follow a period of growing tensions between the two NATO allies after the American leader's repeated interest to purchase Greenland.

A key parliamentary committee in Denmark has convened an extraordinary meeting to examine the kingdom’s relationship with the United States.

Speaking to media, Miller asserted that dominion of the island could be gained without military intervention due to its limited number of residents.

Questioning Danish Sovereignty

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

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

There was, he said “no need to even consider or discuss” a armed takeover in Greenland, reiterating: “No country would wage war against the US over this issue.”

Global Responses

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

Denmark's leader, Mette Frederiksen, responded by saying that an attack by the US a fellow alliance member would mean the end of the military alliance and “post-Second World War security”.

The island's own leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, also made a strong statement, calling on the US president 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, podcaster Katie Miller, posted a map on social media of Greenland under a US flag with the caption “IN THE NEAR FUTURE”.

Asked about the social media post, he responded by stating: “It has been the formal position of the US government since the start of this presidency... The president has been very clear about that.”

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

In recent years, there has been growing support for Greenlandic independence, particularly after disclosures 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 show of national unity, with its founding document declaring: “Greenland belongs to us.”