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A key figure from Donald Trump's senior advisors has increased tensions on Denmark 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 take over the Arctic territory because “no nation would engage the United States in combat over the fate of Greenland”.

“The idea of military action against Greenland? Greenland has a population of 30,000 people,” Miller inaccurately claimed, despite the actual figure being closer to 57,000.

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

Growing Tensions

Miller’s comments come amid increasing friction between the two NATO allies after the American leader's repeated interest to annex Greenland.

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

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

Questioning Danish Sovereignty

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

Miller continued: “As the leading power within the dominant force in NATO. For the US to secure the Arctic region to defend NATO, obviously Greenland should be part of the US.”

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

International Reactions

These statements followed Trump said over the weekend, fresh from events in Venezuela, that the US desired the territory “urgently”.

Denmark's leader, Mette Frederiksen, responded by warning that an American aggression against a fellow alliance member would mean the end of the defensive pact and “post-Second World War security”.

The island's own leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, also made a strong statement, urging Trump to give up his “notions of acquisition” and accused the US of being “wholly inappropriate”.

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 caption “IN THE NEAR FUTURE”.

Asked about the social media post, he laughed and said: “It has been the formal position of the US government from the start of this presidency... Donald Trump has been explicit about that.”

Greenland remained a colony until 1953, when it became part of the Danish realm. The US has had a military base there, important for its national missile defense network.

Recently, there has been increasing sentiment for Greenlandic independence, particularly after revelations about historical policies of the local population.

But amid the spectre of acquisition talk, Greenland in March established a new unity government in a show of national unity, with its founding document declaring: “Greenland belongs to us.”