Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina delivered sharp criticism of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller on Wednesday, calling on him to “get out of this job” over recent remarks about Greenland and Denmark that Tillis said undermine the NATO alliance.
Tillis’s Rebuke on CNN
In an appearance on CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper,” Tillis said:
“Either Stephen Miller needs to get into a lane where he knows what he’s talking about or get out of this job.”
He added that Miller “doesn’t represent the U.S. government, he represents the Article Two branch” and that his comments risk damaging one of America’s most important alliances. Tillis, who has co-chaired the bipartisan Senate NATO Observer Group since 2018, highlighted Denmark’s contributions during the Afghanistan war, noting the country suffered 43 soldier deaths—among the highest per capita losses of any NATO ally—and ranked in the top six for contributions despite its small size.
Tillis warned that actions or rhetoric that shake the alliance “sends a signal to Putin he’s winning.”
Background: Miller’s Greenland Remarks
The controversy stems from Miller’s January 5 interview on CNN, where he asserted:
“The formal position of the US government is that Greenland should be part of the United States.”
He questioned Denmark’s claim over the island, asking “by what right does Denmark assert control over Greenland,” and stated “nobody is going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland.” The comments revived long-standing U.S. strategic interest in Greenland, which hosts the Thule Air Base, amid growing geopolitical competition in the Arctic.
The remarks gained additional attention after Miller’s wife, Katie Miller, posted a widely shared image on social media showing a map of Greenland overlaid with the American flag and the single word “SOON,” further fueling speculation about the administration’s intentions toward the territory. Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly and firmly stated that the island is not for sale.
Earlier in the day, Tillis took to the Senate floor to call Miller’s remarks “absurd” and “amateur hour,” declaring he was “sick of stupid” when it comes to the treatment of NATO partners.
Miller’s Defense of America-First Policy
In the same CNN interview that drew Tillis’s criticism, Miller also laid out a strongly pro-American foreign policy stance. He argued that the United States should “secure our interests unapologetically in our hemisphere” and conduct itself accordingly as a superpower under President Trump.
He criticized past U.S. interventions, saying:
“For years we sent soldiers to die in deserts in the Middle East to try to build them democracies, to give them more oil, try and get their resources.”
Instead, Miller advocated for policies that enrich America rather than build up foreign nations. He invoked the Monroe Doctrine and what he called the “Trump doctrine” as frameworks for asserting U.S. interests without apology, adding:
“The future of the free world depends on America being able to assert ourselves and our interests without apology.”
Supporters view this approach as a pragmatic shift toward protecting U.S. sovereignty, resources, and hemispheric security while avoiding costly overseas entanglements.
Viral Resurfaced High School Clip on Jimmy Kimmel’s Show
Separately, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel aired a viral segment featuring old footage of Miller from his high school years. In the clip, a teenage Miller stands at a podium and complains:
“Who is sick and tired of being told to pick up my trash? We have plenty of janitors for a way out of this world!”
The remark drew immediate backlash from the audience, and the young Miller was escorted away amid the crowd’s resistance. Kimmel mocked the incident, joking that Miller has “always been like this,” and displayed a satirical fake book cover titled “Born a Douche” with Miller’s image.
Democratic influencer Harry Sisson shared the segment on X, suggesting Miller’s current “hateful” political stance may stem from having been “picked on by other kids.” The video has fueled widespread online memes and discussion about Miller’s personality and long-standing public persona.
Broader Context
The exchange underscores ongoing intra-Republican tensions over foreign policy as the Trump administration pursues aggressive positions on NATO burden-sharing, Arctic security, and territorial interests. Denmark and Greenland have consistently stated that the island is not for sale, with Danish leaders warning that coercive rhetoric could weaken the alliance.
Tillis stressed that while he supports much of the administration’s agenda, he will continue speaking out on alliance issues, adding that many colleagues privately share his concerns.
No immediate response came from the White House or Miller.
