US needs Greenland 'for national security' reasons

President Donald Trump on Monday reiterated that the United States needed Greenland for "national security" after his appointment of a special envoy to the Danish Arctic island triggered a new spat with Copenhagen.

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Since returning to the White House in January, Mr Trump has repeatedly said the United States "needs" the resource-rich autonomous territory for security reasons and has refused to rule out using force to secure it.

Mr Trump on Sunday appointed Louisiana governor Jeff Landry as special envoy to Greenland, prompting anger from Denmark, which summoned the US ambassador.

"We need Greenland for national security. Not for minerals," Mr Trump told a news conference in Palm Beach, Florida, on Monday.

"If you take a look at Greenland, you look up and down the coast, you have Russian and Chinese ships all over the place," he said.

"We need it for national security. We have to have it," the president said, adding that Mr Landry "wanted to lead the charge".