President Donald Trump told NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Thursday that U.S. control of Greenland is necessary to enhance international security, escalating his campaign to annex the strategic Arctic island.

President Donald Trump mused at length over his desire to absorb two countries protected by the NATO alliance on Thursday in a White House meeting with Secretary-General Mark Rutte. Both Canada and Greenland,

North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary General Mark Rutte demurred on Thursday when President Donald Trump baited him into backing his dream of the United States annexing Greenland. Rutte—who has been nicknamed NATO’s “Trump whisperer”—shared laughs with the president throughout their Oval Office meeting on Thursday.