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A key figure from Donald Trump's top aides has increased tensions on Denmark by disputing Denmark's sovereign claim to Greenland.

Force Deemed Unnecessary

Stephen Miller, also claimed 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 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 legitimate right to the territory, which is a one-time colonial possession and remains part of the Danish kingdom.

Growing Tensions

Miller’s comments follow a period of increasing friction between the US and Denmark after the US president’s renewed calls to acquire Greenland.

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

Speaking to media, Miller told CNN that dominion of the island could be achieved without military intervention due to its limited number of residents.

Questioning Danish Sovereignty

“The core issue is on what grounds does Denmark have to exercise sovereignty over Greenland? What legal foundation of their territorial claim?” he asked.

He added: “As the leading power within the power of NATO. For the US to secure the Arctic region to defend NATO, it is logical that Greenland should be part of the US.”

He stated there was “no need to even consider or discuss” a military operation in Greenland, reiterating: “No country would wage war against the US militarily.”

International Reactions

His comments followed Trump said over the weekend, following other foreign policy actions, that the US desired the territory “urgently”.

The Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, reacted by saying that an American aggression against a NATO ally would mean the collapse of the military alliance and “the postwar security order”.

Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, also made a forceful rebuke, calling on the US president to give up his “notions of acquisition” and labeled American rhetoric of being “completely and utterly unacceptable”.

Background and Present Position

Miller’s comments were preceded by his wife, podcaster Katie Miller, shared a digital image of Greenland under a US flag with the caption “SOON”.

When questioned on the online image, he responded by stating: “It has been the formal position of the US government since the start of this presidency... The president has been explicit about that.”

Greenland was under colonial rule until 1953, when it became part of the Danish realm. The US has had a military base there, critical to its national missile defense network.

Recently, there has been increasing sentiment for Greenlandic independence, especially following revelations about Denmark’s treatment of Greenlandic people.

But amid the spectre of acquisition talk, Greenland in March formed a new unity government in a demonstration of solidarity, with its agreement stating: “We are the rightful owners of Greenland.”