The leader of the Danish overseas territory said a military conflict with Washington can't be ruled out

Greenland needs to be prepared for a possible US attack, the leader of the Danish self-governing Arctic island has said in response to President Donald Trump's claims on the territory.

Speaking to reporters in the island's capital, Nuuk, on Tuesday, Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said Greenland plans to create a task force to help residents prepare for disruptions to their daily lives. He said it was "not likely there will be a military conflict, but it can't be ruled out."

Greenland's finance minister, Mute Bourup Egede, said the island was under "a lot of pressure" and that "we need to be ready for all scenarios." The Greenlandic government is currently working on new guidelines for the local population of 57,000, including a recommendation to stock up on food for five days.

Trump has long sought to acquire Greenland, citing national security concerns and the need to counter the influence of Russia and China in the region. He has floated the idea of purchasing the island from Denmark and has refused to definitively rule out the use of force, saying the issue may have to be resolved "the hard way."

Last week, Trump announced he would impose new tariffs on European states opposing his plan, including Denmark, Britain, France, and Germany, if a deal is not reached.

Denmark sent additional troops to the island on Monday as part of the international Arctic Endurance exercise, which was launched in response to Trump's statements.

Politicians in both Denmark and Greenland denied there was an immediate threat of Russian or Chinese encroachment and signaled readiness to work with Trump on security issues.

"If they have mining projects that they want to do or if they need another military base [in Greenland], the door is wide open for discussions. But handing over sovereignty and 50,000 citizens of Denmark who definitely don't want to be Americans - we just can't do that," Rasmus Jarlov, head of the Danish parliamentary defense committee, told Sky News on Tuesday.

European leaders have also warned that a US attack on a fellow NATO member would destroy the alliance.