Trump says to make deal to acquire Greenland in "easy way" or "hard way"

WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said a deal will be made for the United States to acquire Greenland in an "easy way" or "hard way."

"I would like to make a deal the easy way but if we don't do it the easy way, we're going to do it the hard way," the U.S. president told reporters at an event at the White House, adding that he was "going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not."

Asked about a media report that the White House was considering paying Greenlanders for their agreement to join the United States, Trump said, "I'm not talking about money for Greenland yet."

Danish Ambassador to the United States Jesper Moller Sorensen and Jacob Isbosethsen, Greenland's head of representation to the United States, met with White House officials on Thursday, U.S. media reported.

On Tuesday, the White House issued a statement saying that "utilizing the U.S. military" is always an option for Trump over his demand for Greenland.

Both Greenland and Denmark have made clear the island is not for sale.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Monday that "if the U.S. chooses to attack another NATO country militarily, then everything stops, including NATO and thus the security that has been established since the end of the Second World War."

Denmark is a member of both NATO and the European Union.