Denmark and Greenland's envoys to Washington have begun a vigorous effort to urge U.S. lawmakers as well as key Trump administration officials to step back from President Donald Trump's call for a "takeover" of the strategic Arctic island. Denmark's ambassador and Greenland's chief representative to Washington met on Thursday with White House National Security Council officials to discuss a renewed push by Trump to acquire Greenland, perhaps by military force. That word comes from Danish government officials who weren't authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Several European leaders have pushed back on U.S. President Donald Trump's comments about seeking an American takeover of Greenland. The leaders issued a statement Tuesday reaffirming the strategic, mineral-rich Arctic island "belongs to its people." The leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom have joined Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in defending Greenland's sovereignty in the wake of Trump's comments. Greenland is a self-governing territory of the kingdom of Denmark. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said Monday that Greenland should be part of the United States. Frederiksen previously said a U.S. takeover of Greenland would amount to the end of the NATO military alliance.