Trump signs US-Denmark-Greenland agreement to boost Arctic security

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York, days after Trump announced plans to increase the U.S. military presence in Greenland while keeping the territory under Danish control. The arrangement would remain valid even if Greenland eventually becomes independent.

“This is tremendous for Europe and for the United States and for everybody,” Trump said shortly before the signing. “And for Greenland, it's going to be incredible.”

Trump has sought to acquire Greenland since at least 2019. During his second term, he has also threatened to take control of the semiautonomous territory from Denmark, a fellow NATO member. When asked Tuesday whether the United States had abandoned the idea of acquiring Greenland, Trump did not directly answer.

U.S. Military Has Maintained a Presence in Greenland for Decades
Representatives from the United States, Denmark and Greenland spent months negotiating the agreement in an effort to address U.S. security concerns about the resource-rich Arctic island.

Trump’s interest in Greenland had created tensions within NATO. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen previously warned that a U.S. takeover could threaten the future of the Atlantic alliance.

The dispute also caused concern among Greenland’s approximately 56,000 residents and strained relations between Washington, Copenhagen and their European Union partners. European countries responded by increasing security activities and financial assistance involving Greenland.

Economic interests and the island’s natural resources have also influenced discussions about its future. Around two-thirds of Greenland lies within the Arctic Circle, where declining sea ice has created new potential shipping routes.

The United States has maintained a military presence in Greenland for decades. Since 1945, however, that presence has declined from thousands of troops stationed across 17 bases and installations to about 200 personnel at Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland. The facility supports U.S. and NATO operations involving missile warnings, missile defense and space surveillance.

Speaking at the U.N. General Assembly before the agreement was signed, Trump said the United States would immediately begin developing a larger military presence in suitable locations, including the construction of two major bases.

Denmark’s parliament approved legislation last year allowing U.S. military bases on Danish territory. The measure expanded on a 2023 agreement reached with the Biden administration that provided American forces with broad access to Danish air bases.

Trump has previously argued that the United States must “take Greenland” to prevent Russia or China from gaining control of the territory. Although he has said he would prefer to negotiate a deal, he has also stated that the United States would obtain Greenland “one way or the other.”

Agreement Would Continue if Greenland Gains Independence
The agreement, released by the three governments following the signing, permits the United States to modernize and expand its activities at Pituffik Space Base.

It also allows Washington to establish defense areas at Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland and Mestersvig in the east. The United States could establish additional defense areas and expand military facilities or operations elsewhere on the island. The agreement calls for contracts related to the construction, maintenance and removal of such facilities to be awarded to Greenlandic businesses whenever possible.

The accord also provides the U.S. military with broad access across Greenland, including underwater routes. The three parties said they share an interest in ensuring U.S. military access to Greenland to help defend NATO territory, Greenland and North America, including through Trump’s planned “Golden Dome” missile defense system. Frederiksen said no specific decision had yet been made regarding that system.

Countries outside NATO would be prohibited from establishing manned or unmanned military facilities in Greenland or maintaining a permanent military presence there unless all signatories agree.

The agreement has no specified expiration date. If Greenland becomes independent, it would remain in NATO and assume the rights and responsibilities currently held by Denmark under the agreement.

Signatories Describe the Deal as a Positive Development
Frederiksen described the agreement as a long-term arrangement that benefits the United States, Greenland, Denmark and NATO as a whole.

“Mr. President, you have been very clear: You don’t want adversaries to come too close,” she said. “I fully agree.”

Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen described the agreement as a “win-win-win” arrangement, emphasizing the shared security interests of Greenland and the United States.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who played a role in easing tensions during the height of the dispute in January, also welcomed the agreement. In a post on X, he said the deal, together with NATO’s increasing involvement in Arctic security, would strengthen collective security and contribute to greater stability in the region.

However, some Greenlandic officials said the tensions had damaged trust.

Naaja Nathanielsen, one of Greenland’s two representatives in Denmark’s parliament and a former government minister, told The Associated Press that the dispute had been extremely difficult for Greenland’s population. She said many people had experienced fear and uncertainty about the possibility of losing their country and their livelihoods.

Still, Nathanielsen described the new agreement as a major positive development and said it represented the first binding international agreement Greenland had signed as a country. She said it was an important step toward greater self-government and a stronger role for Greenland in international discussions.

Frederiksen also expressed relief following the signing, saying that the Kingdom of Denmark was in a better position than it had been the previous day. She ended the post-signing news conference by joking that the participants would soon go out for a cold beer.

Other NATO members also welcomed the development. Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics said the announcement was positive, although many details remained to be resolved.

Rinkevics added that he hoped the Greenland dispute would now be settled, saying that the prolonged disagreement between close allies had been uncomfortable, reports UNB.