Washington DC - President Donald Trump has renewed his threat to annex Greenland by military force if necessary, telling NBC on Sunday that the US needs the large Arctic island "very badly" for national security.

Responding to a question on whether or not he rules out the use of military force, he said: "I don't rule it out. I don't say I'm going to do it, but I don't rule out anything."

"Greenland is a very small amount of people, which we'll take care of, and we'll cherish them, and all of that. But we need that for international security."

For months, Trump has been floating the idea of the US taking control of Greenland, which is an autonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and has previously suggested the use of military force as an option.

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During his first term in office, Trump sparked backlash from Europe with the idea of simply purchasing Greenland, the largest island in the world.

Geographically, Greenland is part of the North American continent and extends into the Arctic. The island is of great importance for the global climate and for military control of the Arctic.

Greenland is also rich in resources such as rare earths. Additionally, important shipping routes run through the region.

The governments of Greenland and Denmark have vehemently rejected Trump's ambitions. According to polls, most Greenlanders support independence from Denmark but not annexation by Washington.

Trump has also expressed an interest in seeing Canada become part of the US, and his repeated remarks on the matter are even thought to have swayed the country's recent election outcome.

In the NBC interview, the US president made it clear that he does not consider military force an option for Canada.