WASHINGTON

The administration of US President Donald Trump is discussing a "range of options" for acquiring Greenland, including utilizing the US military, the White House said on Tuesday.

"President Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States, and it’s vital to deter our adversaries in the Arctic region," White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in response to Anadolu's inquiry.

"The President and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the U.S. Military is always an option at the Commander in Chief’s disposal," Leavitt added.

The statement came following President Donald Trump's repeated proposals to acquire the island for strategic purposes.

A day after the US military operation in Venezuela that captured President Nicolas Maduro, Trump on Sunday renewed his call for a takeover of Greenland for "national security" interests.

“We need Greenland, from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it,” he had said when asked about any potential US action against Greenland.

Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark and has repeatedly rejected proposals suggesting any transfer of sovereignty to the US.

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has urged Trump to "stop the threats."

* Contribution by Michael Hernandez.