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A key figure from Donald Trump's senior advisors has increased tensions on the Danish government by challenging Copenhagen’s claim to the vast Arctic island.

Military Intervention Dismissed

Stephen Miller, stated emphatically military intervention would not be required to assume control of the northern landmass because “nobody is going to fight the United States in combat over the fate 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 Denmark does not have a valid claim to the region, which is a former Danish colony and continues as a constituent country of the Danish kingdom.

Escalating Diplomatic Strains

These remarks come amid increasing friction between the US and Denmark after the American leader's repeated interest 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 told CNN that control over Greenland 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 is the basis of their ownership claim?” he asked.

Miller continued: “The US is the power of NATO. For the US to secure the Arctic region to safeguard the alliance, it is logical that Greenland should be part of the US.”

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

Global Responses

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

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

The island's own leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, issued a strong statement, calling on the US president to give up his “notions of acquisition” and accused the US of being “completely and utterly unacceptable”.

Historical Context and Current Stance

The aide's assertions were preceded by his wife, a conservative commentator, shared a map on social media of Greenland draped in a US flag with the tag “IN THE NEAR FUTURE”.

When questioned on the social media post, he laughed and said: “It has been the official stance of the US government since the start of this presidency... The president has been very clear about that.”

The territory was under colonial rule until 1953, when it was integrated of the kingdom of Denmark. The US maintains a military base there, important for its national missile defense network.

In recent years, there has been growing support for self-rule, 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 demonstration of solidarity, with its agreement stating: “Greenland belongs to us.”