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US President Donald Trump has mocked Denmark’s attempts to defend Greenland with extra patrols including two extra dog sleds as he insists America controls the strategically important Arctic island.

Denmark’s defense minister admitted the Nordic country is not doing enough to protect the autonomous territory of Greenland, but unveiled plans to spend $1.5 billion on two new inspection ships, two drones and two sled dog patrols after Trump. his interest in the island changed.

“I believe in Greenland, we will get — because it has to do with the freedom of the world. It has nothing to do with the United States, except that we can provide freedom. They (Denmark) can’t. They put two dog sleds in there two weeks ago, they thought that was protection,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One this weekend.

Trump held a 45-minute phone call with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen last week, which five current and former senior European officials described to the Financial Times as ignited a confrontation.

Officials said Denmark’s government was in “crisis mode” after Trump took the unprecedented step of refusing to rule out military action to seize territory from a Nato ally and threatened to target tariff against it. The US already has its only military base in Greenland, in the north of the island.

Denmark’s military presence in Greenland is currently limited to an Arctic Command of 75 people and equipment consisting of four ships, a surveillance plane and several dog sled patrols.

Danish and Greenlandic officials have said the US could increase its military presence on the island, and there have been discussions about a second base or more personnel.

Troels Lund Poulsen, Danish defense minister, SAYS on Christmas Eve as well as new ships, drones and dog sled patrols in Copenhagen will also upgrade the runway at one of Greenland’s main airports to allow F-35 fighter jets – operated by the US and the Nordic country – to land there.

The US has repeatedly recognized Danish sovereignty over Greenland, at least when it purchased the present-day US Virgin Islands from Denmark in 1917.

But Trump said on Air Force One: “I don’t really know what Denmark has to say about this, but it’s an unfriendly act if they don’t allow that to happen because it’s for the protection of the free world . It’s not for us, it’s for the free world. You have Russian ships, you have ships from different countries.”

He added: “I think Greenland can be done with us. I think we will have it. I think people want to be with us. “

European countries are scrambling to figure out how to respond to Trump’s threats against Denmark without ending up in his own crosshairs. Others urged Frederiksen to “fight back” against the US president. Currently, the Danish prime minister insists that Greenland will not be sold but welcomes the growing US interest in the Arctic.

The Danish prime minister’s office said it “does not recognize the interpretation of the conversation” between Trump and Frederiksen, but declined to explain which details it disagreed with. US officials did not dispute the FT’s reporting.