Stephen Miller Escalates Assertions to Take Over the Arctic Territory

One of Donald Trump’s senior advisors has increased tensions on Denmark by disputing Denmark's sovereign claim to the vast Arctic island.

Military Intervention Dismissed

The president’s deputy chief of staff, also claimed the use of armed force would not be needed to assume control of the Arctic territory because “no nation would engage the United States militarily over the future of Greenland”.

“The idea of military action against Greenland? Its population numbers just 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 Kingdom of Denmark.

Growing Tensions

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

The Danish foreign policy committee has convened an emergency session 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 real question is on what grounds does Denmark have to exercise sovereignty over Greenland? What legal foundation of their ownership claim?” Miller questioned.

He added: “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 part of the US.”

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.”

Global Responses

These statements 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, reacted by saying that an American aggression against a NATO ally would mean the collapse of the military alliance and “the postwar security order”.

The island's own leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, also made a strong statement, urging Trump to abandon his “notions of acquisition” and labeled American rhetoric of being “completely and utterly unacceptable”.

Historical Context and Current Stance

The aide's assertions came after his wife, podcaster Katie Miller, posted a digital image of Greenland under a US flag with the caption “IN THE NEAR FUTURE”.

Asked about the social media post, he laughed and said: “This has represented the official stance of the US government from the beginning of this administration... The president has been very clear about that.”

The territory was under colonial rule until 1953, when it was integrated of the Danish realm. The US has had a strategic installation there, critical to its ballistic missile early warning system.

In recent years, there has been increasing sentiment for self-rule, especially following disclosures about Denmark’s treatment of Greenlandic people.

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.”