Several NATO countries are deploying small numbers of military personnel to Greenland to participate in joint exercises with Denmark as US President Donald Trump ramps up his threats to forcibly annex the Arctic island.

Several countries including Germany and Denmark are planning to send troops to Greenland, according to new reports.

U.S. President Donald Trump has made an American takeover of Greenland a focus of his second term in the White House.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday that “anything less” than US control of Greenland is “unacceptable,” arguing the United States needs the territory for national security purposes, which could in turn strengthen NATO.

Denmark’s foreign minister said on Wednesday that a “fundamental disagreement” with U.S. President Donald Trump over the future of Greenland remained unresolved after high-level talks in Washington, even as Denmark and NATO allies moved to increase their military presence in the Arctic territory amid rising tensions.

After the meeting, Denmark's foreign minister said they're eager to work with the U.S. while respecting the "red lines of the Kingdom of Denmark."

Greenlanders get heavily subsidized by Denmark, and any future mining boom will be costly.

Trump's comments come after Greenland’s Prime Minister said they would "choose Denmark" over the United States.