Trump Adviser's Remarks Spark Imperialism Debate
A senior adviser to former President Donald Trump has ignited an international controversy by asserting the United States has a right to seize foreign territories and resources, drawing accusations of modern imperialism from critics at home and abroad.
Stephen Miller, a former White House senior advisor, made a series of remarks in a CNN interview arguing that the U.S. could justify taking control of nations or territories to secure American interests [43536]. His comments specifically revived the idea of annexing Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory, and supported aggressive action toward Venezuela [42678][42781].
"Greenland is part of the North American continent," Miller argued. "It ought to be part of the United States" [42670]. He dismissed Denmark's authority, questioning whether it would militarily defend the Arctic island [42670]. On Venezuela, Miller framed potential U.S. intervention as reclamation, stating the country's oil industry was built with American investment and that the current government had stolen these assets [28651].
The statements have been widely condemned as a public embrace of resource imperialism—the doctrine that powerful nations can control another country's natural resources [34150]. Venezuelan officials accused the U.S. of practicing modern colonialism, linking Miller's and Trump's past comments about taking Venezuelan oil to a confession of colonial intent [30002]. European allies have also voiced concern, with a senior German Green party politician stating that such actions, without a basis in international law, amount to imperialism [42156].
Within the U.S., the rhetoric has sparked a sharp political debate. Democratic lawmakers and independent Senator Bernie Sanders labeled Miller's vision as "belligerent" and "a very good definition of imperialism" [43536]. Some Republicans have also expressed alarm over recent aggressive actions, with one senator warning that the seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker "sounds like the beginning of a war" [23143].
The Trump administration's past actions provide context for Miller's remarks. The U.S. has seized Venezuelan oil tankers, imposed crippling sanctions on the country's oil sector, and recognized opposition figures as the legitimate government [23501][28918]. Former President Trump himself has privately discussed the U.S. potentially "owning" Venezuela and publicly defended the idea of a blockade to "take back the oil" [41008][28918].
While Miller's views do not represent current U.S. policy, they have reignited a global discussion about American power and intervention. The controversy underscores deep divisions over foreign policy and the principles of national sovereignty in an era of renewed great-power competition.