Stephen Miller, a senior aide to President Donald Trump, reportedly sparked intense debate Monday after asserting that Greenland rightfully belongs to the United States and that the Trump administration could take control of the territory if it chose to do so.
In a contentious interview with Jake Tapper on CNN, Miller was repeatedly pressed on whether the administration would rule out military force regarding Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of Denmark. Miller made clear that, in his view, the balance of power favors the United States.
“Nobody’s going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland,” Miller said, arguing that global affairs are ultimately shaped by strength rather than sentiment.
Miller’s comments came as President Trump has renewed his public push for Greenland and after Miller’s wife posted an image on social media over the weekend suggesting the island could soon come under U.S. control. The remarks drew a sharp response from Denmark’s prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, who urged Trump to “stop the threats” and criticized talk of annexation involving a NATO ally.
Critics quickly seized on Miller’s language, arguing that seizing Greenland by force would undermine the core agreement underpinning the NATO alliance, of which both Denmark and the United States are founding members. Under the treaty, an attack on one member is treated as an attack on all. Trump has previously said he would not rule out using military force to take Greenland, a position that has rattled European leaders.
Miller did not shy away from a broader argument about global power dynamics. “We live in a world, in the real world, Jake, that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power,” he said. “These are the iron laws of the world since the beginning of time.”
The White House aide also echoed Trump’s position on Venezuela following the U.S. raid that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife. Miller said bluntly that the United States is now running Venezuela, brushing aside concerns about international law and sovereignty.
“The United States of America is running Venezuela,” Miller said, dismissing international treaties protecting national independence as “international niceties.”
What it means for the U.S. to be “running” Venezuela has been the subject of internal debate. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has avoided using that phrasing, even as Trump insists the U.S. is “in charge.” House Speaker Mike Johnson, while defending the military operation, has maintained that the United States is not engaged in an occupation or ongoing hostilities.
Miller argued that U.S. leverage over Venezuela stems from economic power, including control over oil exports and commerce. He said a blockade and embargo give Washington effective control over the country’s economy.
“We set the terms and conditions,” Miller said. “So the United States is in charge. The United States is running the country.”
International criticism followed swiftly. U.N. Secretary General António Guterres said the raid violated the U.N. charter, and some U.S. allies voiced concern. On the domestic front, Sen. Bernie Sanders denounced Miller’s remarks, calling them a textbook definition of imperialism.
Sanders accused Trump of seeking Venezuela’s oil and warned the world was returning to an era in which powerful nations exploited weaker ones for resources.
Supporters of the administration, however, see Miller’s remarks as an unapologetic articulation of America-first realism — a rejection of what they view as hollow international norms in favor of decisive action to protect U.S. interests. Whether on Greenland or Venezuela, Miller made clear the administration believes power, not process, ultimately shapes the global order.
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