🔗 Share this article

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

Force Deemed Unnecessary

Stephen Miller, also claimed the use of armed force would not be required to take over the northern landmass because “nobody is going to fight the United States in combat over the future of Greenland”.

“What do you mean military action against Greenland? Greenland has a population of 30,000 people,” he incorrectly stated, the correct number being closer to 57,000.

Miller further proposed that Denmark does not have a valid claim to the territory, which is a one-time colonial possession and remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Escalating Diplomatic Strains

Miller’s comments follow a period of growing tensions between the US and Denmark after the American leader's repeated interest to acquire Greenland.

A key parliamentary committee in Denmark has called an emergency session to examine the bilateral ties with the United States.

Speaking to media, Miller asserted that control over Greenland could be gained without military intervention due to its small population.

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?” he asked.

He added: “As the leading power within the dominant force in NATO. For the US to protect Arctic interests to defend NATO, it is logical that Greenland should be incorporated into the United States.”

He stated there was “no requirement to even consider or discuss” a armed takeover in Greenland, reiterating: “No country would wage war against the US over this issue.”

International Reactions

These statements followed Trump remarked recently, following other foreign policy actions, that the US needed Greenland “very badly”.

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

Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, also made a forceful rebuke, urging Trump to give up his “fantasies about annexation” and labeled American rhetoric of being “wholly inappropriate”.

Historical Context and Current Stance

The aide's assertions were preceded by his wife, a conservative commentator, posted a map on social media of Greenland under a US flag with the tag “SOON”.

When questioned on the online image, he responded by stating: “It has been the official stance of the US government since the start of this presidency... The president has been explicit about that.”

The territory remained a colony until 1953, when it became part of the Danish realm. 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, especially following revelations about Denmark’s treatment of Greenlandic people.

But amid the prospect of Trump’s threat, Greenland in March established a new coalition government in a show of national unity, with its agreement stating: “We are the rightful owners of Greenland.”