One of President Donald Trump’s closest advisers, Stephen Miller, has raised fresh concerns among European allies after questioning Denmark’s claim over Greenland and suggesting the United States could seize the territory without facing military resistance.
Speaking to CNN’s Jake Tapper on Jan. 5, Miller avoided directly answering whether the U.S. would use military force to take Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark. Instead, he said Trump has been “clear for months” that the island should belong to the United States.
“Nobody’s going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland,” Miller said.
Miller also challenged Denmark’s authority over the vast, resource-rich Arctic territory.
“It wouldn’t be military action against Greenland. Greenland has a population of 30,000 people, Jake,” he said. “The real question is, by what right does Denmark assert control over Greenland?”
Since returning to office in 2025, Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of buying Greenland and has refused to rule out taking it by force. He has argued that annexing the island is critical to U.S. national security, citing its strategic location and abundance of critical minerals. Miller echoed that view, saying U.S. control of Greenland is necessary to secure the Atlantic region for NATO.
“Obviously, Greenland should be part of the United States,” Miller said.
Growing Pressure and Global Worry
Miller’s comments come as the administration ramps up pressure abroad following U.S. military action in Venezuela, where American forces launched strikes and captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.
Trump renewed calls for American control of Greenland on Jan. 4, the same day he promised the U.S. would “run” Venezuela until a democratic transition takes place. That move has intensified fears that Greenland, which has limited self-rule under Denmark, could face a similar fate.
Those concerns grew further after Katie Miller, Stephen Miller’s wife and a MAGA commentator, posted an image of Greenland overlaid with U.S. stars and stripes on social media. The post, captioned “SOON,” appeared the same day as the U.S. military operation in Venezuela.
Denmark and NATO Push Back
Denmark’s prime minister urged the White House to “stop the threats” a day earlier, after Trump again raised the idea of taking Greenland in a weekend interview with The Atlantic.
On Jan. 6, several major NATO countries issued a joint statement rejecting the administration’s claims that Arctic security requires U.S. control of the territory.
“Greenland belongs to its people,” the statement said. “It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland.”
The statement was signed by leaders from France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Denmark, and the United Kingdom, signaling growing unease among America’s closest allies over Washington’s rhetoric.
