A Top Trump Aide Ramps Up Assertions to Take Over the Arctic Territory

A key figure from Donald Trump's top aides has ramped up the pressure on the Danish government by disputing Denmark's sovereign claim to the vast Arctic island.

Military Intervention Dismissed

Stephen Miller, stated emphatically military intervention would not be necessary to assume control of the northern landmass because “no nation would engage the United States militarily over the future of Greenland”.

“The idea of military action against Greenland? Greenland has a population of 30,000 people,” he incorrectly stated, the correct number being closer to 57,000.

He also suggested that Denmark does not have a valid claim to the region, which is a former Danish colony and continues as a constituent country of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Growing Tensions

These remarks come amid increasing friction between the two NATO allies after the American leader's repeated interest to annex Greenland.

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

Speaking to media, Miller told CNN that control over Greenland could be gained without armed conflict due to its small population.

Questioning Danish Sovereignty

“The real question is on what grounds does Denmark have to exercise sovereignty over Greenland? What legal foundation of their territorial 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.”

There was, he said “no requirement to even consider or discuss” a armed takeover in Greenland, reiterating: “No country would wage war against the US militarily.”

International Reactions

These statements followed Trump remarked recently, fresh from events in Venezuela, that the US desired the territory “urgently”.

Denmark's leader, Mette Frederiksen, responded by saying that an American aggression against a fellow alliance member would mean the collapse of the military alliance 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 accused the US of being “completely and utterly unacceptable”.

Historical Context and Current Stance

The aide's assertions came after his wife, podcaster Katie Miller, shared a map on social media of Greenland under a US flag with the tag “IN THE NEAR FUTURE”.

When questioned on the social media post, he laughed and said: “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.

In recent years, there has been increasing sentiment for self-rule, particularly after disclosures about Denmark’s treatment of Greenlandic people.

However, facing the spectre of acquisition talk, Greenland in March formed a new unity government in a demonstration of solidarity, with its founding document declaring: “We are the rightful owners of Greenland.”