Denmark has formally expressed its disapproval after the wife of a top aide to former U.S. President Donald Trump shared a provocative social media image depicting Greenland cloaked in the stars and stripes of the American flag.
Controversial Social Media Post
The incident unfolded on Saturday, January 4, 2026, when Katie Miller posted the altered map of the Danish autonomous territory to her account on the platform X. Miller is married to Stephen Miller, who served as Donald Trump's deputy chief of staff and is widely regarded as the architect of many of his policies, particularly on immigration.
The image, which showed Greenland's outline filled with the pattern of the U.S. flag, was captioned with a single, suggestive word: "SOON." Her post came shortly after the United States launched a major military operation against Venezuela, which resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro.
Diplomatic Backlash from a Close Ally
The response from Denmark was swift and pointed. On Sunday, Jesper Moeller Soerensen, Denmark's ambassador to the United States, directly addressed the post. He shared a link to Miller's image alongside a statement emphasizing that his country expects "full respect for the territorial integrity" of the Kingdom of Denmark.
In a follow-up post, Ambassador Soerensen offered what he called a "friendly reminder" about the strong alliance between the two nations. He noted that Greenland is already part of NATO and that Denmark has "significantly boosted its Arctic security efforts" in cooperation with the U.S. "We are close allies and should continue to work together as such," he wrote. "U.S. security is also Greenland's and Denmark's security."
Longstanding U.S. Interest in Greenland
The social media controversy taps into a recurring theme from the Trump presidency. Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire for the United States to annex Greenland, citing its strategic Arctic location and vast reserves of critical minerals as vital to U.S. national security interests.
Previous moves by his administration, such as appointing a special envoy to the territory, have already drawn criticism from both Copenhagen and the European Union. The latest post from a figure closely linked to Trump's inner circle has reignited those diplomatic tensions, especially amidst the fallout from the concurrent military action in Venezuela.
Katie Miller is a former Trump administration official herself, having served as deputy press secretary at the Department of Homeland Security and later as communications director and press secretary for then-Vice President Mike Pence.
The episode underscores the delicate nature of diplomatic relations even between close allies and how social media activity by politically connected individuals can quickly create international friction.
