Americast — "How Far Will Trump Go to Seize Greenland?"

Date: January 7, 2026 | Hosts: Sarah Smith, Anthony Zurcher | Notable Guest Voices: Stephen Miller (Trump Senior Advisor)

Episode Overview

This episode of Americast explores the startling escalation in U.S. foreign policy as President Donald Trump moves from rhetoric to open consideration of acquiring Greenland for the United States. With military action no longer ruled out—even against a NATO ally—Sarah and Anthony unpack the motivations, strategic calculations, and historical echoes behind this latest development. The episode focuses on what’s driving Trump’s renewed push, how key advisors like Stephen Miller articulate this “Trump Doctrine” of unapologetic American assertiveness, and the profound implications for international order and U.S. alliances.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s Renewed Greenland Ambitions

• Seriousness Replaces Satire:

  • Only a year ago, Trump’s Greenland talk was seen as trolling; now, following a successful U.S. operation in Venezuela, it’s backed by real administrative action and heated military rhetoric.
  • “We're less than a week out now from the seizure of the Venezuelan president, and we've got Donald Trump and some of his top A’s making it clear that they really are quite serious about wanting to take Greenland.” (Sarah, 00:33)

• Military Option on the Table:

  • Trump’s team, including White House Press Secretary Carolyn Levitt, refuses to rule out force.
  • “The President and his team are discussing a range of options ... utilizing the US Military is also always an option at the Commander in Chief's disposal.” (Sarah cites Levitt, 06:01)

• International Alarm:

  • European leaders, including the UK and Denmark, rapidly respond that Greenland’s fate should be decided by Greenlanders.
  • “We had a joint statement ... saying the future of Greenland should be decided by Greenlanders.” (Sarah, 06:18)

2. Strategic Importance of Greenland

• National Security Justifications:

  • Trump points to increased Russian and Chinese presence in the Arctic, touts Greenland’s strategic shipping lanes, missile defense location, and untapped resources as reasons for U.S. control.
  • “Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place. We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security.” (Recording of Trump, ~03:13)

• Economic Drivers:

  • Critical minerals, rare earths, oil, and gas reserves cited as motivating factors.
  • “There are these critical minerals ... the United States, in theory, could exploit economically ... oil and gas reserves, untapped oil and gas reserves there.” (Anthony, 08:15)

• Historical Echoes:

  • References to the Louisiana Purchase, 19th-century expansionism, the purchase of Alaska, all frame Trump’s push as part of a longer if outdated, American tradition.
  • “It's a shame Justin's not here, because he could tell us all what it was like when Thomas Jefferson made the Louisiana Purchase...” (Sarah, 09:22)
  • “The United States has purchased other little stretches of property... and of course, we've taken other things by wars.” (Anthony, 09:41)

3. Negotiation, Pressure, or Invasion?

• Purchase as Primary Tactic:

  • Lawmakers privately briefed that buying Greenland remains the goal, not outright invasion.
  • “Marco Rubio ... told them as well that buying Greenland really is the aim and that nobody's talking about an imminent invasion.” (Sarah, 10:23)

• Parallels to the Venezuela Playbook:

  • Skepticism abounds; the rapid move from negotiation to military action in Venezuela provides a cautionary precedent.
  • “Negotiations ... took place right up until when the American helicopters came in.” (Anthony, 10:53)

4. Stephen Miller and the “Trump Doctrine”

• On Record About Force:

  • Senior advisor Stephen Miller, in a CNN interview, refuses to rule out military action, casting U.S. power as an iron law of the world order.
  • Memorable Exchange:
    • Interviewer: “Can you say that military action against Greenland is off the table?”
    • Miller: “There's no need to even think or talk about this in the context that you're asking of a military operation. Nobody's going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland.” (Stephen Miller, 14:09)

• “We Are a Superpower—Act Like It”

  • Miller asserts America must unapologetically use its military to secure interests, explicitly refuting post-WWII multilateralism.
  • “The United States is using its military to secure our interests. And unapologetically in our hemisphere—we're a superpower. And under President Trump, we are going to conduct ourselves as a superpower.” (Stephen Miller, 15:39)

• Foundational Shift from Rules-Based International Order:

  • Miller lambastes the postwar order as “apologizing and groveling,” advocating instead a return to 19th-century “might makes right.”
  • “He's kind of saying all of that was the United States not being willing to exercise its power in the way that it should.” (Anthony, 17:27)

• Domestic Parallels:

  • Miller’s ascendancy, steady influence, and history as Trump’s policy “enforcer” extends from migration to foreign policy.
  • “He's not only devising these policies, he is making sure that they happen.” (Sarah, 24:49)

5. NATO Crisis & Global Ramifications

• NATO in Jeopardy:

  • If the U.S. attacked a NATO ally, the mutual defense pact would be fundamentally undermined, potentially destroying the alliance.
  • “If the United States attacked a NATO member, what would Europe do? ... It would destroy NATO.” (Anthony, 15:04)

• Dangerous Precedents:

  • The episode raises the specter of global great-power spheres, with China potentially using similar arguments in Taiwan.
  • “If the United States has the right to interfere ... does that not mean, by the same token, China can interfere ... in Taiwan?” (Sarah, 19:30)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Trump's "Flex":

  • “Donald Trump does tell you what he's going to do. And we shouldn't be so surprised when he does things like seize the Venezuelan president, because he had told us ... Of course, the problem is he mentions doing so many things, we don't know when he means it and when he doesn't.” (Sarah, 11:44)

• Miller on U.S. Power:

  • “We live in a world ... that is governed by strength, that is governed by force, that is governed by power. These are the iron laws of the world.” (Stephen Miller, 20:41)

• On Stephen Miller's Influence:

  • “There's not much daylight between Stephen Miller and Donald Trump ... Miller's a key player in this White House.” (Anthony, 21:29)

• On the Rhetoric:

  • “They don't have Donald Trump's subtlety ... but when you get this belligerent rhetoric from Donald Trump, it's often leavened with a bit of humor ... Stephen Miller is just absolutely hard line ... really rather rabid.” (Sarah, 22:43)

Key Timestamps for Major Segments

• [00:32–01:48]: Opening, recent Trump comments, discussion of military options for Greenland.
• [02:37–04:53]: Trump’s emboldened posture post-Venezuela, NATO/diplomatic ramifications.
• [05:21–08:15]: Resources, military bases, historical context for U.S. expansion.
• [10:23–11:44]: Likelihood and mechanics of a Greenland purchase vs. invasion.
• [13:07–16:59]: Extended Stephen Miller interview—“Trump Doctrine”, superpower logic, postwar order repudiation.
• [19:30–22:43]: Comparisons to China/Taiwan; impact on global norms; Miller and Trump dynamic.
• [24:49–25:55]: Miller's role as policy enforcer, influence in Trump’s inner circle.
• [25:55–26:08]: Teaser for future episodes, sign-off.

Tone and Style

The episode is delivered with a blend of clear-eyed analysis and the British wit the Americast team is known for, especially when dissecting the surreal spectacle of Trumpian foreign policy and the hard-edged doctrine articulated by figures like Stephen Miller. The hosts keep the discussion lively, skeptical, and rooted in historical perspective, illuminating the profound stakes of the moment even as they acknowledge the strange “febrile” mood of Washington.

Summary Takeaways

• Trump’s push to acquire Greenland has shifted from farce to live policy consideration, with military options openly discussed.
• The justification involves national security, resource control, historical expansionism, and a new unapologetic American doctrine.
• Stephen Miller embodies and articulates this new Trump Doctrine: force, power, and hemispheric assertiveness over multilateral rules.
• The move strains NATO and the post-WWII international order, raising questions about the future of alliances and the legitimacy of great-power spheres.
• The world is witnessing a potentially fundamental transformation in how U.S. foreign policy is conceived and exercised.

For those who haven't listened:
This episode gives a comprehensive and engaging window into how America’s most powerful leaders are rethinking the country’s place in the world—and how their appetite for land, minerals, and “strength” could redraw international borders and rules.