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One of Donald Trump’s top aides has ramped up the pressure on Denmark by questioning Denmark's sovereign claim to Greenland.

Force Deemed Unnecessary

The president’s deputy chief of staff, also claimed military intervention would not be needed to take over the Arctic territory because “no nation would engage the United States militarily over the fate of Greenland”.

“What do you mean military action against Greenland? Greenland has 30,000 inhabitants people,” Miller inaccurately claimed, the correct number being closer to 57,000.

Miller further proposed that Copenhagen lacks a valid claim to the territory, which is a one-time colonial possession and remains part of the Danish kingdom.

Growing Tensions

These remarks follow a period of growing tensions between the two NATO allies after the US president’s renewed calls to annex Greenland.

A key parliamentary committee in Denmark has convened an emergency session to discuss the kingdom’s relationship with the United States.

Speaking to media, Miller told CNN that control over Greenland could be achieved without military intervention due to its small population.

Challenging Copenhagen's Rule

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

Miller continued: “The US is the dominant force in NATO. For the US to protect Arctic interests to defend NATO, it is logical that Greenland should be part of the US.”

He stated there was “no requirement to even think or talk about” a military operation in Greenland, adding: “Nobody is going to fight the US militarily.”

International Reactions

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

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

The island's own leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, issued a forceful rebuke, urging Trump to give up his “fantasies about annexation” and accused the US of being “wholly inappropriate”.

Background and Present Position

The aide's assertions came after his wife, podcaster Katie Miller, posted a digital image of Greenland draped in a US flag with the caption “SOON”.

When questioned on the social media post, he laughed and said: “This has represented the official stance of the US government from the beginning of this administration... Donald Trump has been explicit about that.”

Greenland remained a colony until 1953, when it became part of the kingdom of Denmark. The US maintains 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 Trump’s threat, Greenland in March established a new coalition government in a show of national unity, with its agreement stating: “We are the rightful owners of Greenland.”