In a surprising statement that has left US allies unsettled and NATO on edge, Stephen Miller declared on Monday night that Greenland “should be part of the United States.” Appearing on CNN’s The Lead with Jake Tapper, the White House deputy chief of staff and homeland security adviser dismissed ongoing questions about the potential use of military force to acquire Greenland, currently under Danish governance. “Nobody’s gonna fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland,” Miller asserted, sidestepping direct inquiries about the possibility of military intervention.

When pressed further on the matter, Miller did not rule out military action, instead questioning Denmark’s claim over Greenland. “What is the basis of their territorial claim?” he challenged. “What is their justification for having Greenland as a colony of Denmark? The United States is the power of NATO. To secure the Arctic region and to protect NATO interests, Greenland should clearly be part of the United States, and that’s a conversation we’re going to have as a country.” These bold statements follow President Donald Trump’s reluctance to dismiss the idea of acquiring Greenland by force, raising concerns among European allies about potential shifts in NATO’s territorial lines under the guise of protecting US national security.

Miller maintained that the notion of Greenland joining the US is not a new escalation, despite the heightened focus. “The president has been clear for months now,” Miller explained to Tapper. “This has been the official stance of the US government since the start of this administration, extending back to the previous Trump administration—that Greenland should be part of the United States.” When Tapper pointed out that the topic had gained urgency following a controversial social media post by Miller’s wife, Katie Miller, the senior White House aide reacted defensively. “I know you’re treating this as breaking news,” Miller remarked, “but the president has been very clear about that.” Once more questioned about the potential use of force against a NATO ally to achieve this aim, Miller diverted. “There’s no need to even think or talk about this in the context of a military operation,” he stated.

The controversy erupted over the weekend after Katie Miller, a former Trump White House official and conservative media figure, posted an image of Greenland draped in an American flag with a single word beneath it: ‘SOON.’ The post went viral and landed just after the US carried out a dramatic operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of that country’s president, raising alarm among allies about Washington’s willingness to redraw borders by force. Trump then fueled the backlash by reiterating his long-held belief that Greenland is vital to US national security. Denmark’s response was swift and unusually blunt. In nationally televised remarks, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen reminded viewers that Greenland has repeatedly rejected becoming part of the United States. ‘I have already made it very clear where the Kingdom of Denmark stands and that Greenland has repeatedly said that it does not want to be part of the United States,’ Frederiksen said. She also issued a stark warning about the consequences of US aggression.

‘If the US chooses to attack another NATO country militarily, then everything stops, including NATO and thus the security that has been established since the end of the Second World War,’ Frederiksen said. The prime minister later expanded on that message in her New Year’s address, condemning what she described as escalating threats from Denmark’s closest ally. ‘Wanting to take over another country, other people, as if it were something you could buy and own – it doesn’t belong anywhere,’ Frederiksen said, according to the Danish newspaper Berlingske. She added that Denmark is rapidly increasing military spending and Arctic defenses. ‘We are in full swing strengthening Danish defense and preparedness,’ she said. ‘Never before have we increased our military strength so significantly. So quickly.’

Denmark’s ambassador to the United States, Jesper Møller Sørensen, publicly rebuked the rhetoric after Katie Miller’s post, reminding Washington of long-standing defense ties. ‘Just a friendly reminder about the U.S. and the Kingdom of Denmark,’ Sørensen wrote on X. ‘We are close allies and should continue to work together as such. U.S. security is also Greenland’s and Denmark’s security. And yes, we expect full respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark,’ he added. Despite repeated claims from Trump and his allies that the island is essential to US security, polling shows Greenlanders themselves overwhelmingly oppose becoming American.

According to a January 2025 survey by Verian, 85 per cent of Greenland’s roughly 57,000 residents said they do not want to join the United States. Only six per cent supported the idea, while nine per cent were undecided. Greenland has had the legal right to declare independence from Denmark since 2009 but has not done so, largely because it relies on Danish financial support and public services.

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