U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, forcefully rebutted comments from one of the top officials in the Trump administration about a potential American takeover of Greenland, an idea that has been floated since Trump returned to the Oval Office.
Tillis, who is not running for another term, called comments made by Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller “insane” and “amateur hour.” In an interview, Miller said “the formal position of the US government” is that Greenland should be part of the United States.
Greenland is part of Denmark, a European ally and fellow member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Tillis is a staunch defender of the NATO alliance.
“By turning around and making insane comments about how it is our right to have territory owned by the, the kingdom of Denmark, folks, amateur hour is over,” Tillis said from the Senate floor Tuesday. “You don’t speak on behalf of this U.S. senator or the Congress.”
In a separate interview with CNN, Tillis also said that Miller should inform himself or get out of the job.
Vice President JD Vance reaffirmed Miller’s comments Wednesday. In an interview with Fox News, Vance said Denmark has not done a good enough job securing Greenland and that President Donald Trump would go “as far as he has to” to defend American interests in the Arctic region.
A potential acquisition of Greenland has gotten renewed attention after the U.S. captured Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro. Trump said the U.S. is running the South American nation and has made threats against other nations in the Western Hemisphere, including Cuba and Colombia.
Greenland is rich in natural resources and is located between the U.S. and Europe. The president has downplayed the significance of the country’s natural resources, claiming his only interest is in the national security benefits he believes the U.S. could reap by taking control of Greenland.
Tillis argued that the U.S. could address security concerns without threatening the territory of a NATO ally. Denmark sent troops to Afghanistan to fight alongside Americans after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
“The flip side could be that Mr. Miller or somebody else said, ‘Hey, this would be cool. Let’s take over Greenland. It’ll be like a big aircraft carrier.’ Well, that’s stupid too, and I’m sick of stupid,” Tillis said.
WRAL News reached out to the White House to ask for the administration’s reactions to Tillis’ comments and if it stands by what Miller said. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly provided a written statement.
“President Trump and his administration believe Greenland is a strategically important location that is critical from the standpoint of national security, and he is confident Greenlanders would be better served if protected by the United States from modern threats in the Arctic region,” Kelly wrote. “The president is committed to establishing long-term peace at home and abroad.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said his office has a meeting set with Danish leaders for next week to discuss Greenland. He did not give specifics about timing, location or what U.S. representatives will be part of it.
Tillis said he’s worried comments like the one from Miller distract from the president’s accomplishments, and he wants Trump to have a good legacy.
In June, Tillis announced that he wouldn’t run for re-election in 2026. It came after he voted against advancing the president’s budget bill. At the time, Tillis said he looked forward to the freedom that comes from not needing to sway voters in an election and getting to “call balls and strikes” as he sees fit.
Tillis was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2014. He previously served as House speaker in the North Carolina legislature.