WASHINGTON — President Trump ratcheted up his dispute with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, calling comments she made about his bid to buy Greenland “nasty.”

“I thought the prime minister’s statement that it was an absurd idea was nasty,” Trump told reporters outside the White House on Wednesday as he left for a day trip to Kentucky.

The president said it was “not nice” of Frederiksen to rebuff the idea the way she did. “She’s not talking to me, she’s talking to the United States of America,” Trump added, again taking particular offense at the prime minister’s use of the word “absurd.”

Trump used Twitter Tuesday night to announce that he would not be making a stop in Denmark when he heads to Poland early next month after Frederiksen ridiculed his flirtation with buying the icy island, calling it “an absurd discussion.”

“Denmark is a very special country with incredible people, but based on Prime Minister Mett Frederiksen’s comments, that she would have no interest in discussing the purchase of Greenland, I will be postponing our meeting scheduled in two weeks for another time,” Trump wrote.

The president’s announcement came as “a surprise” to the Danish royal palace, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.

Later, during Trump’s Q&A with reporters, he complimented the country.

“I love Denmark, I’ve been to Denmark,” the president said.

The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Trump periodically brought up that he wanted to buy Greenland. On Sunday, both the president and his economic adviser Larry Kudlow confirmed it was indeed something that had been discussed.