🔗 Share this article Stephen Miller Escalates Assertions to Take Over the Arctic Territory One of Donald Trump’s senior advisors has ramped up the pressure on the Danish government by disputing Copenhagen’s claim to Greenland. Military Intervention Dismissed Stephen Miller, stated emphatically the use of armed force would not be needed to take over the northern landmass because “no nation would engage the United States in combat over the fate of Greenland”. “The idea of military action against Greenland? Its population numbers just 30,000 inhabitants people,” Miller inaccurately claimed, the correct number being closer to 57,000. Miller further proposed that Copenhagen lacks a legitimate right to the region, which is a one-time colonial possession and remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Growing Tensions These remarks follow a period of increasing friction between the US and Denmark after the American leader's repeated interest to acquire 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 gained without armed conflict due to its small population. Challenging Copenhagen's Rule “The real question is on what grounds does Denmark have to assert control over Greenland? What is the basis of their territorial claim?” he asked. He added: “As the leading power within the dominant force in NATO. For the US to secure the Arctic region to safeguard the alliance, obviously Greenland should be incorporated into the United States.” 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 over this issue.” International Reactions His comments came after Trump remarked recently, following other foreign policy actions, that the US desired the territory “very badly”. Denmark's leader, Mette Frederiksen, reacted by warning that an attack by the US a NATO ally would mean the end of the defensive pact and “the postwar security order”. The island's own leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, also made a forceful rebuke, 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 digital image of Greenland draped in a US flag with the tag “SOON”. Asked about the online image, he responded by stating: “It has been the formal position of the US government since the beginning of this administration... The president has been very clear about that.” The territory was under colonial rule until 1953, when it became part of the kingdom of Denmark. The US has had a military base there, critical to its ballistic missile early warning system. Recently, there has been growing support for self-rule, especially following disclosures about historical policies of Greenlandic people. But amid the prospect of Trump’s threat, Greenland in March formed a new coalition government in a demonstration of solidarity, with its agreement stating: “We are the rightful owners of Greenland.”