WASHINGTON (TNND) — The White House said on Tuesday that “utilizing the U.S. military is always an option” when it comes to “acquiring Greenland.”

Since the capture of Nicolás Maduro over the weekend, President Donald Trump continues to push for control of the territory.

“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 press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. “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.”

The prime ministers of Greenland and Denmark called on Trump to stop threatening take over

“It makes absolutely no sense to talk about the US needing to take over Greenland,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Facebook. “The US has no right to annex any of the three countries in the Danish kingdom.”

Echoing Leavitt’s statements, Trump justified the takeover as a “national security situation.”

“We need Greenland. It’s so strategic,” Trump said over the weekend. “Right now, Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place.”

Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen did not take well to the connection between Greenland and Venezuela.

“When the president of the United States talks about ‘we need Greenland’ and connects us with Venezuela and military intervention, it’s not just wrong. This is so disrespectful,” he said

However, Trump’s recently appointed envoy to Greenland, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, said the U.S.’s goal in the region is not go in and “conquer” the Danish territory.

Greenland is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Landry remains as governor of Louisiana as he serves in his role as envoy.

Speaker Mike Johnson echoed Landry’s idea, saying, “No. I don’t think it’s appropriate.”

Following Leavitt’s comments, Canada’s indigenous governor general and its foreign minister will visit Greenland in early February, announced Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

“The future of Greenland and Denmark are decided solely by the people of Denmark,” Carney said while meeting with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen at Canada’s embassy in Paris.

Editor’s Note: The Associated Press contributed to this report.