🔗 Share this article Stephen Miller Intensifies Assertions to Take Over Greenland 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 Greenland. Force Deemed Unnecessary Stephen Miller, stated emphatically the use of armed force would not be needed to assume control of the northern landmass because “no nation would engage the United States militarily over the future of Greenland”. “What do you mean military action against Greenland? Greenland has 30,000 inhabitants people,” Miller inaccurately claimed, despite the actual figure being closer to 57,000. He also suggested that Copenhagen lacks a legitimate right to the territory, which is a one-time colonial possession and remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark. 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. A key parliamentary committee in Denmark has convened an extraordinary meeting to examine the bilateral ties with the United States. In his interview, Miller asserted that dominion of the island could be gained without military intervention due to its limited number of residents. Questioning Danish Sovereignty “The core issue is what right does Denmark have to exercise sovereignty over Greenland? What is the basis of their territorial claim?” he asked. Miller continued: “As the leading power within the power of NATO. For the US to protect Arctic interests to defend NATO, it is logical that Greenland should be incorporated into the United States.” He stated there was “no need to even think or talk about” a military operation in Greenland, adding: “Nobody is going to fight the US over this issue.” International Reactions His comments followed Trump remarked recently, fresh from other foreign policy actions, that the US desired the territory “very badly”. Denmark's leader, Mette Frederiksen, responded by warning that an American aggression against a NATO ally would mean the end of the defensive pact and “the postwar security order”. The island's own leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, issued a forceful rebuke, calling on the US president to abandon his “notions of acquisition” and accused the US of being “wholly inappropriate”. Background and Present Position The aide's assertions came after his wife, a conservative commentator, shared a digital image of Greenland draped in a US flag with the tag “SOON”. When questioned on the online image, he laughed and said: “It has been the formal position of the US government since the beginning of this administration... Donald Trump has been explicit about that.” The territory was under colonial rule until 1953, when it was integrated of the Danish realm. The US has had a military base there, important for its ballistic missile early warning system. In recent years, there has been increasing sentiment for self-rule, particularly after disclosures about Denmark’s treatment of Greenlandic people. But amid the prospect of Trump’s threat, Greenland in March formed a new unity government in a demonstration of solidarity, with its agreement stating: “We are the rightful owners of Greenland.”