🔗 Share this article

One of Donald Trump’s senior advisors has ramped up the pressure on Denmark by questioning Denmark's sovereign claim to Greenland.

Military Intervention Dismissed

The president’s deputy chief of staff, stated emphatically military intervention would not be required 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? Its population numbers just a population of 30,000 people,” Miller inaccurately claimed, 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 continues as a constituent country of the Danish kingdom.

Growing Tensions

Miller’s comments follow a period of increasing friction between the two NATO allies after the US president’s renewed calls to annex Greenland.

The Danish foreign policy committee has convened an emergency session to examine the bilateral ties with the United States.

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

Questioning Danish Sovereignty

“The core issue is what right does Denmark have to assert control over Greenland? What is the basis of their ownership claim?” Miller questioned.

He added: “As the leading power within the dominant force in NATO. For the US to protect Arctic interests 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, reiterating: “Nobody is going to fight the US militarily.”

International Reactions

His comments came after Trump remarked recently, following other foreign policy actions, that the US needed Greenland “urgently”.

The Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, responded by saying that an attack by the US a fellow alliance member would mean the collapse of the military alliance and “the postwar security order”.

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

Historical Context and Current Stance

Miller’s comments came after his wife, podcaster Katie Miller, shared a map on social media of Greenland draped in a US flag with the tag “IN THE NEAR FUTURE”.

When questioned on the social media post, he responded by stating: “This has represented the formal position of the US government since the start of this presidency... The president has been very clear about that.”

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

Recently, there has been growing support for Greenlandic independence, particularly after revelations about Denmark’s treatment of Greenlandic people.

However, facing the spectre of Trump’s threat, Greenland in March formed a new coalition government in a show of national unity, with its agreement stating: “We are the rightful owners of Greenland.”