In a move that has sent shockwaves through diplomatic circles, a senior White House official has bluntly asserted that the vast Arctic territory of Greenland rightfully belongs to the United States, dismissing the sovereignty of its current governing power, Denmark.
A Combative Stance on National Television
Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff and homeland security adviser, made the extraordinary comments during an appearance on CNN's The Lead with Jake Tapper on Monday night. When pressed repeatedly on whether the US would rule out using military force to seize the island, Miller refused to give a direct answer.
"Nobody's gonna fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland," Miller stated, brushing aside attempts to get him to explicitly rule out military action. He instead challenged the basis of Denmark's claim to the territory, asking, "What is the basis of their territorial claim? What is their basis of having Greenland as a colony of Denmark?"
Miller framed the potential acquisition as a matter of national and alliance security, arguing, "The United States is the power of NATO. For the United States to secure the Arctic region, to protect and defend NATO and NATO interests, obviously, Greenland should be part of the United States." He insisted this has been the formal position of the US government since the start of the administration.
Swift and Blunt Backlash from Denmark
The remarks, which follow President Donald Trump's own refusal to rule out taking Greenland by force, triggered an immediate and unusually stark response from Copenhagen. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen addressed the nation on television, firmly rejecting the American position.
"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 stated. She issued a severe warning about the potential consequences, indicating that US military aggression against a NATO ally would bring the alliance to a halt, destroying the post-war security framework.
In her New Year's address, Frederiksen condemned the escalating rhetoric, saying, "Wanting to take over another country, other people, as if it were something you could buy and own - it doesn't belong anywhere." She also highlighted that Denmark is rapidly increasing its military spending and Arctic defences in response.
Public Outrage and Polling Reality
The controversy was ignited over the weekend when Katie Miller, Stephen Miller's wife and a former Trump official, posted an image of Greenland covered by an American flag with the caption "SOON." The post went viral, causing outrage in Denmark and alarm among European allies, especially following a recent US military operation in Venezuela.
Denmark's ambassador to the US, Jesper Møller Sørensen, publicly rebuked the sentiment, writing on X, "We are close allies and should continue to work together as such... And yes, we expect full respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark."
Despite claims from Trump and his allies about Greenland's strategic importance, the people of Greenland themselves overwhelmingly oppose the idea. A January 2025 survey by Verian found that 85% of Greenland’s roughly 57,000 residents do not wish to join the United States, with only 6% in support. While Greenland has had the legal right to declare independence from Denmark since 2009, it remains part of the Danish realm largely due to its reliance on Danish financial support.
The incident marks a significant new strain within the NATO alliance, raising profound questions about territorial integrity and the future of cooperation in the strategically vital Arctic region.
