WASHINGTON

US President Donald Trump declared Tuesday that the US would secure Greenland “one way or another,” emphasizing its strategic importance.

“We need Greenland for national security and even international security,” Trump said during his address to a joint session of Congress. “We’re working with everybody involved to try and get it, but we need it really for international world security, and I think we’re going to get it one way or the other, we’re going to get it.”

He also extended his support for the people of Greenland, saying, “We strongly support your right to determine your future, and if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America.”

Greenland, the world’s largest island, has been an autonomous territory of Denmark since 1979. Located between the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, it is rich in minerals and strategically located in the Arctic. The island has attracted growing interest from the US due to its vast natural resources and location.

However, both Denmark and Greenland have rejected any proposals to sell the territory, with the Danish government asserting its continued sovereignty over the island.

A survey conducted in January showed that 85% of Greenland’s population opposes joining the US.