Stephen Miller Ramps Up Threats Regarding the Acquisition of Greenland

One of Donald Trump’s top aides has ramped up the pressure on the Danish government by disputing Copenhagen’s claim to Greenland.

Military Intervention Dismissed

The president’s deputy chief of staff, stated emphatically the use of armed force would not be required to assume control of the Arctic territory because “no nation would engage the United States in combat over the fate of Greenland”.

“The idea of military action against Greenland? Greenland has a population of 30,000 people,” Miller inaccurately claimed, despite the actual figure being closer to 57,000.

Miller further proposed that Denmark does not have a legitimate right to the territory, which is a former Danish colony and continues as a constituent country of the Danish kingdom.

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.

The Danish foreign policy committee has called an emergency session to examine the kingdom’s relationship with the United States.

Speaking to media, Miller asserted that dominion of the island could be achieved without military intervention due to its small population.

Questioning Danish Sovereignty

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

Miller continued: “As the leading power within the power of 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 requirement to even consider or discuss” a military operation in Greenland, adding: “No country would wage war against the US over this issue.”

Global Responses

His comments came after Trump remarked recently, following other foreign policy actions, that the US needed Greenland “urgently”.

Denmark's leader, Mette Frederiksen, reacted by saying that an American aggression against a NATO ally would mean the end of the military alliance and “the postwar security order”.

The island's own leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, also made a strong statement, calling on the US president to abandon his “notions of acquisition” and accused the US of being “wholly inappropriate”.

Background and Present Position

Miller’s comments were preceded by his wife, a conservative commentator, shared a map on social media of Greenland under a US flag with the tag “IN THE NEAR FUTURE”.

Asked about the online image, he laughed and said: “It has been the formal position of the US government from the beginning of this administration... Donald Trump 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 has had a military base there, important for its national missile defense network.

Recently, there has been increasing sentiment for self-rule, particularly after disclosures about historical policies of Greenlandic people.

However, facing the prospect of acquisition talk, Greenland in March established a new unity government in a show of national unity, with its agreement stating: “We are the rightful owners of Greenland.”