Washington and Copenhagen have reached an agreement that would give the United States “permanent control” of Greenland’s security while preventing Russia and China from establishing bases there, US President Donald Trump said.
Since returning to the White House in January 2025, Mr Trump has repeatedly argued that the United States must control Greenland because of the territory’s strategic importance.
- Advertisement -
Denmark and Greenland, the autonomous territory administered by Copenhagen, welcomed the agreement and said it would be signed next week on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
“I am pleased to announce that the United States of America has entered into an Agreement with The Kingdom of Denmark, and Greenland, that gives the United States permanent control over security, and all other needs, in Greenland,” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social network.
The 80-year-old president described the arrangement as an “infinite” deal and said Washington would begin building a substantial military presence in Greenland immediately.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in a statement: “I am pleased that there is a prospect of a good agreement for Greenland, the Kingdom of Denmark and the United States.”
Ms Frederiksen said the agreement was “good for NATO and Europe”, arguing that it would reinforce security across the Arctic and North Atlantic.
Mr Trump has repeatedly raised concerns that Russia and China could seek a foothold in Greenland as competition over Arctic territory intensifies.
“This agreement guarantees that China and Russia cannot have a base in Greenland, they cannot send troops to Greenland, and the necessary mechanisms are in place to prevent investment in sensitive sectors,” a US State Department official said.
Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the agreement would “strengthen” the territory’s security.
At the Davos economic forum in January, Mr Trump said he had reached a purported agreement with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Greenland’s future, although the details have remained unclear.
Mr Trump did not explain how the new arrangement would operate, leaving open the question of whether it is connected to the NATO agreement or represents a substantially different deal.
Several media outlets have reported that the United States is seeking to establish three additional military bases in southern Greenland, alongside the Pituffik base it already operates in the north.
A defence pact signed in 1951 and updated in 2004 already permits Washington to increase troop deployments and expand military installations on the island, provided Denmark and Greenland receive advance notice.
