One of Donald Trump’s senior advisors has increased tensions on Denmark by questioning Denmark's sovereign claim to the vast Arctic island.
The president’s deputy chief of staff, 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 militarily over the fate of Greenland”.
“The idea of military action against Greenland? Greenland has 30,000 inhabitants people,” Miller inaccurately claimed, 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 continues as a constituent country of the Danish kingdom.
These remarks come amid 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 extraordinary meeting to examine the bilateral ties with the United States.
Speaking to media, Miller asserted that control over Greenland could be gained without armed conflict due to its limited number of residents.
“The core issue is what right does Denmark have to exercise sovereignty over Greenland? What is the basis of their ownership claim?” he asked.
He added: “The US is the dominant force in NATO. For the US to protect Arctic interests to safeguard the alliance, 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, adding: “No country would wage war against the US over this issue.”
These statements came after Trump said over the weekend, fresh from 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 fellow alliance member would mean the end of the defensive pact and “post-Second World War security”.
Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, also made a strong statement, urging Trump to give up his “notions of acquisition” and labeled American rhetoric of being “completely and utterly unacceptable”.
The aide's assertions were preceded by his wife, podcaster Katie Miller, posted a map on social media of Greenland under a US flag with the tag “IN THE NEAR FUTURE”.
Asked about the online image, he responded by stating: “This has represented the official stance of the US government from the start of this presidency... The president has been very clear about that.”
Greenland was under colonial rule until 1953, when it became part of the kingdom of Denmark. The US maintains a military base there, important for its ballistic missile early warning system.
Recently, there has been increasing sentiment for Greenlandic independence, particularly after disclosures about Denmark’s treatment of Greenlandic people.
But amid the prospect of Trump’s threat, Greenland in March established a new unity government in a demonstration of solidarity, with its founding document declaring: “We are the rightful owners of Greenland.”
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