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

Military Intervention Dismissed

The president’s deputy chief of staff, also claimed military intervention would not be needed to assume control of the northern landmass because “nobody is going to fight the United States in combat 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, 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.

Escalating Diplomatic Strains

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

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

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

Challenging Copenhagen's Rule

“The core issue is on what grounds does Denmark have to exercise sovereignty 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.”

There was, he said “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 fellow alliance member would mean the collapse of the defensive pact and “the postwar security order”.

Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, issued a strong statement, calling on the US president to give up his “fantasies about annexation” and labeled American rhetoric of being “completely and utterly unacceptable”.

Historical Context and Current Stance

The aide's assertions were preceded by his wife, podcaster Katie Miller, shared a digital image of Greenland under a US flag with the caption “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 explicit about that.”

Greenland was under colonial rule 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.

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

But amid the prospect of acquisition talk, Greenland in March established a new coalition government in a demonstration of solidarity, with its agreement stating: “Greenland belongs to us.”