A Top Trump Aide Escalates Threats to Take Over Greenland

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

Military Intervention Dismissed

Stephen Miller, also claimed military intervention would not be necessary to assume control of the Arctic territory because “nobody is going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland”.

“The idea of military action against Greenland? Greenland has 30,000 inhabitants people,” Miller inaccurately claimed, 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 remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Growing Tensions

These remarks 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 extraordinary meeting to discuss the kingdom’s relationship with the United States.

Speaking to media, Miller asserted that dominion of the island could be gained without armed conflict due to its small population.

Challenging Copenhagen's Rule

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

Miller continued: “The US is the dominant force in 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 think or talk about” a armed takeover in Greenland, reiterating: “No country would wage war against the US militarily.”

Global Responses

His comments followed Trump said over the weekend, fresh from events in Venezuela, that the US desired the territory “very badly”.

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

The island's own leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, issued 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 came after his wife, a conservative commentator, posted a digital image of Greenland draped in a US flag with the tag “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 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, critical to its national missile defense network.

In recent years, there has been increasing sentiment for self-rule, especially following revelations about historical policies of the local population.

However, facing the prospect of Trump’s threat, Greenland in March established a new unity government in a demonstration of solidarity, with its founding document declaring: “Greenland belongs to us.”