Secretary of State Marco Rubio said today that US President Donald Trump's interest in buying Greenland "is not a joke."

In an interview with Sirius XM's Megyn Kelly Show, he emphasized that Trump has expressed interest in Greenland becoming part of the US since his re-election in November.

Poll: 85% of Greenlanders do not want the island to become part of the US • KosovaPress

"It's not about winning a country to get land. It's our national interest and this needs to be resolved," he said, adding that "this is not a joke."

Rubio said the Arctic will become an important shipping lane and that the United States must be able to defend it. He warned that China could seek to develop its presence.

Denmark contacts Trump about Greenland • KosovaPress

Asked if the US would take over Greenland within four years, Rubio said they are "not yet in a position to talk about how exactly they will proceed tactically."

Frederiksen talks for 45 minutes on the phone with Trump about Greenland • KosovaPress

The "forgotten" American base is found under the ice of Greenland • KosovaPress

Recall, Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egeda, who has been raising a push for independence, has repeatedly said that the island is not for sale and that its citizens should decide their future.