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One of Donald Trump’s top aides has ramped up the pressure on Denmark by questioning Denmark's sovereign 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 necessary to take over the northern landmass because “nobody is going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland”.

“The idea of military action against Greenland? Greenland has 30,000 inhabitants people,” he incorrectly stated, despite the actual figure being closer to 57,000.

He also suggested that Copenhagen lacks a legitimate right to the region, which is a one-time colonial possession and continues as a constituent country of the Danish kingdom.

Growing Tensions

These remarks come amid growing tensions between the US and Denmark after the American leader's repeated interest to annex Greenland.

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

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

Challenging Copenhagen's Rule

“The core issue is on what grounds does Denmark have to assert control over Greenland? What is the basis of their territorial claim?” he asked.

He added: “The US is the power of NATO. For the US to secure the Arctic region to safeguard the alliance, it is logical that Greenland should be part of the US.”

He stated there was “no need to even consider or discuss” a armed takeover in Greenland, adding: “Nobody is going to fight the US over this issue.”

International Reactions

His comments came after Trump remarked recently, following events in Venezuela, that the US desired the territory “very badly”.

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

The island's own leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, also made a forceful rebuke, 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

Miller’s comments came after his wife, podcaster Katie Miller, posted a map on social media of Greenland under a US flag with the tag “SOON”.

Asked about the social media post, he laughed and said: “It has been the official stance of the US government since the beginning of this administration... 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, critical to its ballistic missile early warning system.

Recently, 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 demonstration of solidarity, with its agreement stating: “Greenland belongs to us.”