Stephen Miller escalates Trump’s threats regarding Greenland takeover
One of Donald Trump’s key aides has intensified the pressure on Denmark by questioning Copenhagen’s assertion over Greenland. Stephen Miller, who serves as the US president’s deputy chief of staff for policy, also asserted that taking control of the Arctic region would not necessitate military intervention, stating that “nobody is going to challenge the United States militarily over the future of Greenland.” These remarks emerge amidst rising tensions between the US, Denmark, and Greenland following Trump’s renewed interest in acquiring Greenland in the wake of Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro being ousted. The Danish foreign policy committee has scheduled an extraordinary gathering of the Danish parliament for Tuesday evening to discuss the relationship between the Danish kingdom and the US, which will include attendance from foreign minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and defense minister Troels Lund Poulsen. In his interview with CNN, Miller indicated that military action would not be required for the US to gain authority over Greenland due to its minimal population. He also put forward the notion that Denmark does not possess a legitimate claim to the Arctic territory, which was once a Danish colony and still remains associated with the Danish kingdom. Copenhagen continues to oversee Greenland’s foreign and security polices.
When questioned about the possibility of military action against Greenland being off the table, he inaccurately claimed the population of Greenland was 30,000, while the correct figure is 57,000: “What do you mean military action against Greenland? Greenland has a population of 30,000 people. The real question is, what right does Denmark have to exert control over Greenland? What is the foundation of their territorial claim? What basis do they have for considering Greenland a colony of Denmark?” He continued by stating: “The US is the power of NATO. In order for the US to secure the Arctic region and protect NATO and NATO interests, clearly Greenland should be a part of the US. And so that’s a dialogue we’re going to engage in as a nation. That’s a process we’ll approach as an international community.” He remarked that there was “no necessity to think about” a military operation in Greenland, adding: “Nobody is going to confront the US militarily concerning the future of Greenland. That’s illogical.” His statements followed Trump’s remarks over the weekend, just after conducting a military operation in Venezuela, where he asserted the US needed Greenland “very badly.” The Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, countered on Monday by stating that an assault by the US on a NATO ally would signify the dissolution of both the military alliance and “post-World War II security.” She cautioned it would herald the end of “everything.” Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, also delivered a strong rebuttal urging Trump to abandon his “fantasies about annexation” and labeled the US’s rhetoric as “completely and utterly unacceptable.” “Enough is enough,” he declared.
Miller’s remarks concerning Greenland came after his spouse, the conservative podcaster Katie Miller, shared a map on X featuring Greenland adorned with a US flag alongside the caption “SOON” shortly after the military operation in Venezuela. When asked about his wife’s social media activity, he chuckled and remarked: “It has been the official stance of the US government since the inception of this administration, and frankly going back into the preceding Trump administration, that Greenland should be included in the US. The president has been quite explicit about that.” It is believed that Inuit communities have inhabited Greenland since as far back as 2500 BCE. The onset of modern colonization took place in 1721 with the arrival of Hans Egede, supported by what was then Denmark-Norway. It remained a colony until 1953 when it integrated into the kingdom of Denmark. During World War II, as Denmark was occupied by Germany, Greenland was taken over by the US and returned to Denmark in 1945. The US has maintained a military base in Greenland, crucial for its ballistic missile early warning system, located at Pituffik (previously Thule) since the Cold War. Recently, there has been a surge in support for Greenlandic independence, particularly following revelations regarding Denmark’s treatment of Greenlandic people – including the IUD scandal – during and after colonial governance. However, in light of Trump’s threat, Greenland formed a new four-party coalition government in March in a display of national unity, with the initial page of the coalition agreement stating: “Greenland belongs to us.”
Published: 2026-01-06 12:03:00
source: www.theguardian.com
