President Donald Trump is doubling down on his efforts to acquire Greenland, the massive island controlled by Denmark, stating that the US needs it for national security reasons.During an announcement about building a new "Golden Fleet" of "Trump-class" battleships, Trump told reporters, "You look up and down the coast, you have Russian and Chinese ships all over the place. We need it for national security. We have to have it.", reports USA Today.

Trump's renewed interest in Greenland comes shortly after he appointed Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry as the United States' special envoy to the Arctic island. The president signaled that he chose Landry for the role because "he's a deal-maker-type guy."

Denmark, which has been resistant to Trump's previous attempts to take the island, summoned the US ambassador in response to Landry's appointment. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen told TV2, "Out of nowhere, there is now a special U.S. presidential representative, who, according to himself, is tasked with taking over Greenland. This is, of course, completely unacceptable."

During the news conference, Trump dismissed Denmark's claims to Greenland, stating, "Denmark has spent no money there, they have no military protection. They say Denmark was there 300 years ago or something with a boat. Well, we were there with boats too, I'm sure."

Greenland, a former Danish colony with a population of about 57,000, has the right to declare independence under a 2009 agreement but remains heavily dependent on fishing and Danish subsidies. Its strategic position between Europe and North America makes it a key site for the US ballistic missile defense system, while its mineral wealth has heightened US interest in reducing reliance on Chinese exports.

In response to Landry's appointment, Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen issued a statement emphasizing that the island would decide its own future.

Trump also clarified that the US is not interested in Greenland for its mineral wealth, stating, "We have so many sites for minerals, and oil and everything, we have more oil than any other country in the world. We'll have to work it all out."

As tensions rise between the US and Denmark over Greenland's future, the world watches to see how this geopolitical struggle will unfold.