Donald Trump has doubled down on his claim that the United States should take Greenland, saying he is “very serious” about the idea and believes the country needs the territory for security reasons. The comments come as global attention remains high following recent US actions overseas.

His remarks arrived shortly after reports of gunfire in Caracas, only hours after Nicolas Maduro appeared in court, according to a news report. That timing has led some to question what move the US president might make next.

Following a US operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of Nicolas Maduro and his wife, speculation has grown about how far Trump is willing to push American power. Greenland has now returned to the center of that conversation.

In an interview with NBC News, Trump said he is “very serious” about annexing Greenland. He argued the island plays a critical role in broader security concerns that extend beyond the United States alone.

Trump said: “We need Greenland for national security, and that includes Europe.” He added: “That includes, you know, I’m very loyal to Europe. That includes Europe. We need [it] for national security, right now.”

He later stressed again that Greenland is “essential for the national security of the US, Europe and other parts of the free world.” This was not the first time he has made such a claim.

The US president has previously said the country “absolutely” needs Greenland, which is a territory belonging to Denmark. Those earlier remarks were also met with strong reactions from European leaders.

Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen responded firmly, saying: “It makes absolutely no sense to talk about the need for the United States to take over Greenland.” Her statement rejected the idea outright.

International affairs editor Dominic Waghorn discussed a warning from Frederiksen about the consequences of any move on Greenland. He said she warned that if the US acted in an unwelcome way, it “could be the end of NATO.”

Waghorn added: “Greenland doesn’t make fentanyl, it doesn’t produce cocaine, it’s not run by a crazy right-wing or left-wing dictator, it has no weapons of mass destruction.” He said Trump’s interest reflects “this new kind of imperialistic view of what American foreign policy should be.”

He also noted that the US already has a military base on Greenland and has the right to add another. That existing presence, he suggested, makes the renewed push even more controversial.