Trump Wants For The U.S. To Take Over Greenland. Denmark Is Now Sending Conscripts There.

Denmark deployed conscripts to Greenland for the first time in recent history as the country steps up efforts to defy President Donald Trump's desire to take over the island.

Reuters noted that Copenhagen is set to spend billions to strengthen Arctic defenses after the country's defense minister acknowledged years of underinvestment.

The conscripts will take part in a military exercise training them for combat and survival skills in extreme weather conditions. Arctic Endurance is part of Arctic Sentry, a NATO mission launched earlier this year.

Danish authorities have repeatedly rejected U.S. advancements. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen reiterated that the territory is "not for sale" in July.

Speaking during a NATO summit in Turkey, Frederiksen said "we "hope that all, including all allies will respect the Greenlandic people's right for self-determination."

"We are ready to defend every inch of NATO, including our own territory," the PM added. "But one of the reasons why we have built NATO, many, many years ago, is if anything happens to one of us, then everybody should stand up for each other."

The remarks followed those of Trump, who said Greenland is "very important" for the U.S. and not for Denmark. "We need it for protection of the world, not just the United States," he added.

Authorities from Denmark and Greenland have sharply criticized Trump for the intention to take over the country. Greenland's prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, said in April that many of the Danish semi-autonomous territory's residents "don't feel safe" as a result of the statements.

Speaking to NBC News, Nielsen said Trump's rhetoric is "an unacceptable pressure to put on the Greenlandic people." "A lot of people don't feel safe," he said, adding, "Some have been scared. Now it's turning into anger," he added.

Asked if he still believes the U.S. could use force to get concessions from Denmark and the island, especially considering the operation that captured Venezuela's former authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro earlier this year, he said "of course."

"The Greenlandic people, a lot of them thought that way: We might be next," Nielsen said. "And I know other countries also think like that."

Different reports have recounted that Denmark has taken Trump's rhetoric seriously. In fact, the country used military drills to disguise actual preparations to resist a potential U.S. invasion earlier this year.