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One of Donald Trump’s senior advisors has increased tensions on the Danish government by questioning Denmark's sovereign claim to Greenland.

Force Deemed Unnecessary

Stephen Miller, also claimed the use of armed force would not be required to assume control of the Arctic territory because “no nation would engage the United States militarily over the fate of Greenland”.

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

Miller further proposed that Copenhagen lacks a valid claim to the region, which is a former Danish colony and remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Escalating Diplomatic Strains

These remarks follow a period of growing tensions between the US and Denmark after the US president’s renewed calls to annex Greenland.

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

Speaking to media, Miller told CNN that control over Greenland could be gained without armed conflict due to its small population.

Questioning Danish Sovereignty

“The real question is on what grounds does Denmark have to assert control over Greenland? What legal foundation of their ownership claim?” Miller questioned.

He added: “The US is the power of NATO. For the US to secure the Arctic region to safeguard the alliance, obviously Greenland should be incorporated into the United States.”

There was, he said “no need to even consider or discuss” a armed takeover in Greenland, adding: “Nobody is going to fight the US militarily.”

International Reactions

These statements came after Trump remarked recently, following events in Venezuela, that the US desired the territory “very badly”.

The Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, reacted by saying that an American aggression against a NATO ally would mean the end of the military alliance and “post-Second World War security”.

The island's own leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, issued a strong statement, urging Trump to abandon his “notions of acquisition” 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, posted a digital image of Greenland under a US flag with the tag “IN THE NEAR FUTURE”.

When questioned on the online image, he laughed and said: “This has represented the official stance of the US government from the beginning of this administration... Donald Trump has been explicit about that.”

The territory was under colonial rule until 1953, when it became part of the kingdom of Denmark. The US has had a military base there, important for its ballistic missile early warning system.

Recently, there has been increasing sentiment for self-rule, particularly after revelations about historical policies of Greenlandic people.

However, facing the spectre of Trump’s threat, Greenland in March formed a new coalition government in a demonstration of solidarity, with its agreement stating: “Greenland belongs to us.”