Trump's top adviser claims the US has the right to take control of Greenland. “We set the terms and conditions”
Stephen Miller, a senior adviser to US President Donald Trump, said Greenland would “by right” belong to the United States and that the administration in Washington could take control of the semi-autonomous Danish territory if it chose to do so.
Stephen Miller, Donald Trump's main adviser/PHOTO: Profimedia
In an interview with CNN, Miller said he does not see a scenario in which the United States would meet military resistance in the event of such an action. “No one is going to fight the United States militarily for the future of Greenland,” he said, repeatedly asked if he ruled out the use of force.
The statements are part of a broader positioning by Miller, considered one of the most influential strategists of the Trump administration, who promotes a vision of world order based on balance of power. In this perspective, great powers would be free to impose their will on weaker states, including through military means, if this serves national interests.
“We live in a real world governed by power, force and the ability to impose control”Miller said. “These are the harsh laws of history.”
His claims come amid Donald Trump's renewed interest in Greenland and after Stephen Miller's wife posted an image on social media suggesting the United States would take control of the island. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen publicly called on the US president to “stop the threats”, warning that such statements were aimed directly at a NATO ally.
A possible forcible takeover of Greenland would call into question the fundamental principles of the North Atlantic Alliance. Both the United States and Denmark are founding members of NATO, and the treaty states that an attack on one member state is considered an attack on all. Donald Trump has previously said he does not rule out using the military to gain control of Greenland.
In the same interview, Stephen Miller also reiterated the Trump administration's position on Venezuela, following the US operation that led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro in Caracas. Miller claimed that the United States is currently “ruling” Venezuela, a claim disputed by some US officials as well.
The operation was criticized by several of Washington's allies, and UN Secretary-General António Guterres said it violated the United Nations Charter.
“We set the terms and conditions”
Miller downplayed the importance of international treaties enshrining the sovereignty of states, describing them as mere “international conventions”. He asserted that a military blockade and total embargo on oil exports would give the United States effective control over the Venezuelan economy.
“We set the terms and conditions”Miller said. “If they want to trade or manage their economy, they need our permission.”
The statements drew harsh reactions from the US opposition. Senator Bernie Sanders criticized Miller's claims, saying they were “a clear definition of imperialism”.
“Donald Trump has made it clear he wants Venezuela's oil”, Sanders stated. “This is the essence of imperialism, and many people around the world look with concern at this return to an era when great powers exploited poorer states for their natural resources.”
