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One of US President Donald Trump’s senior aides has ramped up Washington’s threat to take over Greenland, stating on Monday that no one would militarily challenge the United States over the future of the autonomous Danish territory.
In an interview with CNN, Trump’s deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller said it was Washington’s “formal position … that Greenland should be part of the US”.
His comments followed the US president’s renewed call for the strategic, mineral-rich Arctic island to come under Washington’s control in the aftermath of the weekend military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
Miller questioned Denmark’s right to “control” Greenland, which is a part of its kingdom.
“The real question is what right does Denmark have to assert control over Greenland? What is the basis of their territorial claim? What is their basis of having Greenland as a colony of Denmark?” Miller said during the interview with CNN on Monday afternoon.
The top Trump aide also said the US “is the power of NATO. For the US to secure the Arctic region, to protect and defend NATO and NATO interests, obviously Greenland should be part of the US.”
When asked if the US would rule out the use of force to annex Greenland, Miller said there was “no need to even think or talk about” a military operation in the Arctic island.
“Nobody is going to fight the US militarily over the future of Greenland,” he said.
Miller is widely seen as the architect of several of Trump’s policies, steering the president on his hardline immigration stance and domestic agenda.
EU leaders defend Greenland
Meanwhile, leaders of six European nations — Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the UK — issued a joint statement on Tuesday defending Greenland’s sovereignty.
“Greenland belongs to its people,” said the statement, which was later backed by Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof.
“It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland.”
On Sunday, Trump doubled down on his claim that Greenland should become part of the US, despite calls by the Danish and Greenlandic leaders to stop “threatening” the territory.
“Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place,” Trump said while aboard Air Force One en route to Washington. “We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it.”
In response to those comments, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that a US takeover of Greenland would amount to the end of the NATO military alliance.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen also issued a statement in which he urged Trump to abandon his “fantasies about annexation” and accused Washington of “completely and utterly unacceptable” rhetoric. “Enough is enough,” he said.
Greenland has been under Danish control since the early 18th century but gained home rule in 1979, although Copenhagen continues to oversee its foreign and security policy.
The island holds vast mineral wealth, including rare earths, crucial for advanced technologies.
Additional sources • AP