Greenland Prime Minister Múte Egede recently declared his intentions for the island’s future, stating taking major steps to gain independence from Denmark is “necessary.”

Egede’s remarks, which follow a Dec. 22 post on Truth Social by President-elect Donald Trump advocating for the “ownership and control” of Greenland, focused on the basis of secession from Denmark.

“The upcoming new election period must, together with the citizens, create these new steps, based on the foundations that have already been created,” Egede said. “It is about time that we ourselves take a step and shape our future, also with regard to who we will cooperate closely with, and who our trading partners will be.”

Houses are seen on the coastline in Nuuk, Greenland. (Marli Miller/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

In 1867, the State Department explored buying both Greenland and Iceland, recognizing their strategic importance, Fox News reported. After World War II, Denmark turned down a $100 million offer from President Harry Truman for the island.

Anne-Sofie Toernsoe Olesen and Alexander Lüders Rix Bach from Egedal Municipality are received by Danish Queen Margrethe II, Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Christian to a gala dinner for Prince Christians 18th birthday at Christiansborg Castle in Copenhagen, on October 15, 2023. 200 young people from the country’s 98 municipalities as well as the Faroe Islands and Greenland participated in October 15’s gala dinner. (Photo by Emil Nicolai Helms / Ritzau Scanpix / AFP) / Denmark OUT (Photo by EMIL NICOLAI HELMS/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images) (Getty Images)

Acquiring the land would mark the largest expansion of American territory in history, topping the Louisiana Purchase.

“Greenland is ours,” Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede said last week. “We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom.

Fox News Digital’s Jasmine Baehr contributed to this story.