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

Force Deemed Unnecessary

The president’s deputy chief of staff, stated emphatically the use of armed force would not be needed to assume control of the northern landmass because “nobody is going to fight the United States militarily over the fate of Greenland”.

“The idea of military action against Greenland? Greenland has 30,000 inhabitants 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 region, which is a one-time colonial possession and remains part of the Danish kingdom.

Escalating Diplomatic Strains

Miller’s comments come amid growing tensions between the US and Denmark after the American leader's repeated interest to acquire Greenland.

The Danish foreign policy committee has called an extraordinary meeting to examine the kingdom’s relationship with the United States.

In his interview, Miller told CNN that dominion of the island could be gained without armed conflict due to its small population.

Questioning Danish Sovereignty

“The core issue is what right 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 protect Arctic interests to safeguard the alliance, obviously Greenland should be incorporated into the United States.”

He stated there was “no requirement to even think or talk about” a military operation in Greenland, reiterating: “Nobody is going to fight the US militarily.”

Global Responses

His comments followed Trump said over the weekend, fresh from other foreign policy actions, that the US needed Greenland “urgently”.

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

Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, issued a strong statement, urging Trump to abandon his “fantasies about annexation” and labeled American rhetoric of being “completely and utterly unacceptable”.

Background and Present Position

Miller’s comments were preceded by his wife, podcaster Katie Miller, posted a digital image of Greenland draped in a US flag with the caption “IN THE NEAR FUTURE”.

When questioned on the online image, 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 maintains a military base there, important for its national missile defense network.

In recent years, there has been growing support for Greenlandic independence, particularly after revelations about historical policies of Greenlandic people.

But amid the spectre of Trump’s threat, Greenland in March formed a new unity government in a show of national unity, with its founding document declaring: “Greenland belongs to us.”