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One of Donald Trump’s top aides has increased tensions on the Danish government by disputing Denmark's sovereign claim to Greenland.

Military Intervention Dismissed

Stephen Miller, also claimed military intervention would not be needed to take over the northern landmass because “no nation would engage the United States in combat over the future of Greenland”.

“The idea of military action against Greenland? Greenland has 30,000 inhabitants people,” he incorrectly stated, despite the actual figure being closer to 57,000.

He also suggested that Copenhagen lacks a legitimate right 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 two NATO allies after the American leader's repeated interest to annex Greenland.

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

In his interview, Miller told CNN that control over Greenland could be gained without military intervention due to its limited number of residents.

Challenging Copenhagen's Rule

“The real question is what right does Denmark have to exercise sovereignty over Greenland? What is the basis of their ownership claim?” Miller questioned.

He added: “As the leading power within the power of NATO. For the US to secure the Arctic region to defend NATO, obviously Greenland should be part of the US.”

There was, he said “no need to even consider or discuss” a military operation in Greenland, reiterating: “No country would wage war against the US over this issue.”

Global Responses

His comments came after Trump remarked recently, fresh from other foreign policy actions, that the US desired the territory “very badly”.

Denmark's leader, Mette Frederiksen, responded by saying that an American aggression against a NATO ally would mean the end of the military alliance and “post-Second World War security”.

The island's own leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, issued a strong statement, urging Trump to abandon his “fantasies about annexation” and labeled American rhetoric of being “wholly inappropriate”.

Background and Present Position

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

When questioned on the online image, he laughed and said: “This has represented the formal position of the US government from the start of this presidency... Donald Trump has been explicit about that.”

Greenland was under colonial rule until 1953, when it was integrated of the Danish realm. The US maintains a strategic installation there, important for its ballistic missile early warning system.

Recently, there has been growing support for Greenlandic independence, especially following revelations about Denmark’s treatment of Greenlandic people.

However, facing the prospect of acquisition talk, Greenland in March formed a new coalition government in a demonstration of solidarity, with its agreement stating: “Greenland belongs to us.”