A Top Trump Aide Intensifies Threats to Take Over Greenland

One of Donald Trump’s top aides has increased tensions on the Danish government by questioning Copenhagen’s claim to Greenland.

Military Intervention Dismissed

The president’s deputy chief of staff, also claimed military intervention would not be necessary to assume control of the northern landmass because “no nation would engage the United States in combat over the fate of Greenland”.

“What do you mean military action against Greenland? Its population numbers just a population of 30,000 people,” he incorrectly stated, the correct number being closer to 57,000.

He also suggested that Copenhagen lacks a legitimate right to the region, which is a former Danish colony and continues as a constituent country of the Danish kingdom.

Escalating Diplomatic Strains

Miller’s comments follow a period of increasing friction between the two NATO allies after the American leader's repeated interest 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 asserted that control over Greenland could be achieved without armed conflict due to its small population.

Questioning Danish Sovereignty

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

Miller continued: “As the leading power within the dominant force in NATO. For the US to protect Arctic interests to safeguard the alliance, obviously Greenland should be incorporated into the United States.”

There was, he said “no requirement to even consider or discuss” a military operation in Greenland, adding: “Nobody is going to fight the US militarily.”

Global Responses

His comments followed Trump said over the weekend, following events in Venezuela, that the US desired the territory “urgently”.

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

The island's own leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, also made a forceful rebuke, calling on the US president to give up his “fantasies about annexation” and labeled American rhetoric of being “completely and utterly unacceptable”.

Historical Context and Current Stance

Miller’s comments were preceded by his wife, a conservative commentator, shared a digital image of Greenland under a US flag with the caption “IN THE NEAR FUTURE”.

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 very clear about that.”

Greenland remained a colony until 1953, when it became part of the kingdom of Denmark. The US maintains a military base there, important for its ballistic missile early warning system.

In recent years, there has been growing support for Greenlandic independence, especially following revelations about historical policies of the local population.

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