• Miller states Denmark failed tests to control territory due to small military and economy
• Legal experts say claim contradicts UN Charter principles on territorial integrity
• European leaders rally behind Denmark citing sovereignty and inviolability of borders

WASHINGTON, DC (TDR) — White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller introduced a controversial interpretation of international law Friday, asserting that nation-states forfeit territorial rights if they lack military capacity to defend their borders, a claim that directly contradicts established UN Charter provisions protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Miller made the remarks during an appearance on Fox News’ Hannity program while defending President Trump’s renewed push to acquire Greenland, the autonomous Danish territory that has become central to the administration’s territorial expansion ambitions.

Miller’s “Defend Or Lose” Doctrine

The White House aide laid out his theory that countries must meet specific criteria to maintain territorial control, effectively creating a new principle that legal scholars say overturns centuries of international law.

“Greenland is essential for America’s national security. The new domain of international competition is going to be polar competition. That is where more and more resources are being spent by our nation’s adversaries and rivals,” Miller stated on Fox News.

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He then outlined what he described as historical legal requirements for territorial control.

“With respect to Denmark, Denmark is a tiny country with a tiny economy, and a tiny military. They cannot defend Greenland. They cannot control the territory of Greenland. Under every understanding of law that has existed about territorial control for 500 years, to control a territory you have to be able to defend a territory, improve territory, inhabit a territory. Denmark has failed on every single one of these tests,” Miller claimed.

International Law Reality Check

Miller’s assertion that international law requires nations to militarily defend their territory or risk losing it contradicts fundamental principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter and established through international treaties.

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Article 2(4) of the UN Charter explicitly prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. The provision states that all members shall refrain from such actions “in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.”

According to legal experts, the use of force against sovereign nations is illegal under international law unless deployed in self-defense or authorized by the UN Security Council under Chapter VII of the Charter.

The principle of territorial integrity protects sovereign state borders regardless of military capability, a cornerstone of the modern international legal order established after World War II.

European Leaders Unite Behind Denmark

European leaders issued a forceful defense of Denmark’s sovereignty Tuesday in response to escalating U.S. rhetoric about acquiring Greenland.

“Greenland belongs to its people. It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland,” European leaders stated in a declaration shared by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s office.

The statement emphasized adherence to UN Charter principles, specifically “sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders,” while describing the United States as an “essential partner” in collective security.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen warned about the NATO implications of any U.S. military action.

“At least, I do not hope so because that would be the end of NATO,” Rasmussen said when asked if he thought the U.S. would take Greenland by force.

Miller’s Broader “Strength And Power” Vision

During a separate CNN interview with Jake Tapper, Miller articulated a broader worldview that prioritizes military strength over international norms and institutions.

“We live in a world in which you can talk all you want about international niceties and everything else. But we live in a world, in the real world … that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power,” Miller told CNN.

When pressed about whether the administration would rule out military action against Greenland, Miller declined to do so, instead questioning Denmark’s territorial claim.

“The real question is: By what right does Denmark assert control over Greenland? What is the basis of their territorial claim? What is their basis of having Greenland as a colony of Denmark?” Miller said.

Greenland’s Strategic Importance

Greenland is approximately 25% larger than Alaska and equals one-fourth the size of the continental United States. The island sits atop critical Atlantic shipping lanes and has become increasingly strategic as polar ice caps melt, creating new theaters of superpower competition among the United States, Russia, and China.

The United States currently maintains Pituffik Space Base (formerly Thule Air Base) in northwest Greenland under agreements with Denmark, giving the U.S. military presence without sovereignty.

Denmark has controlled Greenland for centuries and incorporated it as an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. The island’s approximately 56,000 residents have repeatedly stated they do not wish to become part of the United States.

NATO Alliance Crisis

Any U.S. seizure of Greenland would mark the first time a NATO member directly attacked another member’s territory since the alliance’s creation in 1949, potentially triggering Article 5 collective defense obligations.

Several NATO countries have deployed military elements to Greenland to participate in exercises under Denmark’s Operation Arctic Endurance, demonstrating allied support for Danish sovereignty.

Public Reaction

Fox News viewers responded critically to Miller’s legal interpretation on social media.

“Stephen Miller says, ‘[Denmark] can’t defend Greenland.’ Denmark, like the US and 30 other countries, is a member of NATO. Under Art.5, the 31 other members are obligated to defend Denmark if it is attacked. If, however, the US attacks Greenland, the 30 other members are obligated to defend Denmark…Miller is a moron,” one viewer wrote on social media.

Will Miller’s novel interpretation of territorial law gain traction within the administration, or will established international legal principles prevail in protecting Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland?

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