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One of Donald Trump’s top aides has ramped up the pressure on the Danish government by disputing Copenhagen’s claim to the vast Arctic island.

Military Intervention Dismissed

The president’s deputy chief of staff, also claimed military intervention would not be necessary to take over the Arctic territory because “nobody is going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland”.

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

He also suggested that Denmark does not have a valid claim to the territory, which is a one-time colonial possession and continues as a constituent country of the Danish kingdom.

Growing Tensions

Miller’s comments 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 called an emergency session to discuss the bilateral ties with the United States.

In his interview, Miller told CNN that control over Greenland could be gained without military intervention due to its limited number of residents.

Questioning Danish Sovereignty

“The real question is what right does Denmark have to assert control over Greenland? What legal foundation of their territorial claim?” he asked.

Miller continued: “The US is the dominant force in NATO. For the US to secure the Arctic region to safeguard the alliance, obviously Greenland should be part of the US.”

There was, he said “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 said over the weekend, fresh from other foreign policy actions, that the US needed Greenland “very badly”.

Denmark's leader, Mette Frederiksen, reacted by saying that an attack by the US a fellow alliance member would mean the end of the military alliance and “post-Second World War security”.

Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, also made a strong statement, calling on the US president to abandon his “notions of acquisition” and labeled American rhetoric of being “wholly inappropriate”.

Historical Context and Current Stance

The aide's assertions were preceded by his wife, podcaster Katie Miller, shared a digital image of Greenland under a US flag with the caption “IN THE NEAR FUTURE”.

Asked about the online image, he laughed and said: “This has represented the formal position of the US government since the start of this presidency... Donald Trump has been explicit about that.”

Greenland was under colonial rule until 1953, when it became part of the Danish realm. The US maintains a strategic installation there, critical to its ballistic missile early warning system.

Recently, there has been growing support for self-rule, particularly after revelations about historical policies of Greenlandic people.

However, facing the prospect of acquisition talk, Greenland in March formed a new unity government in a show of national unity, with its founding document declaring: “Greenland belongs to us.”