WASHINGTON: The United States, Denmark and Greenland have reached a new security agreement that expands Washington’s military role in the Arctic after months of diplomatic tensions over President Donald Trump’s push for greater U.S. control of the territory.
The agreement, announced Friday, is expected to be signed during next week’s United Nations General Assembly and still requires parliamentary approval.
Trump said the agreement gives the United States “permanent control over security” in Greenland and allows Washington to take measures it considers necessary to protect the territory and U.S. national security.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the arrangement comes at “no cost” to the United States and would prevent U.S. adversaries from maintaining a military presence or making certain sensitive investments in Greenland without American approval.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the agreement as a “historic deal,” saying it addresses Washington’s national security concerns in Greenland.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen confirmed that the agreement will be signed at the U.N. General Assembly next week.
Frederiksen said the deal strengthens security in the Arctic and North Atlantic while recognizing the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenlanders’ right to self-determination.
She said the agreement must still go through the necessary parliamentary procedures before taking effect.
Greenland’s government leader, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, said the agreement strengthens the security of Greenland, Denmark and the United States while recognizing Greenland’s interests in international cooperation.
The full text of the agreement has not been released, leaving some details unclear.
A U.S. State Department official said the deal would give Washington permanent access, basing and overflight rights and allow the United States to build additional military facilities without requiring approval from Greenland or Denmark.
The agreement would also prohibit non-NATO countries from establishing military bases in Greenland and restrict investments in sensitive sectors by countries considered security threats to the United States, with the official specifically citing Russia and China.
According to the official, the agreement would remain in effect even if Greenland becomes independent in the future.
The United States already maintains more than 100 military personnel at Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland.
The agreement follows months of pressure from Trump to acquire or control Greenland. He has repeatedly cited the territory’s strategic Arctic location, defense importance and mineral resources as reasons for greater U.S. involvement.
Trump had also threatened possible military action to secure U.S. control, prompting strong reactions from Denmark, Greenland and other NATO allies.
Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark and has its own government. Its location between North America and Europe gives it strategic importance for Arctic defense, while its largely untapped deposits of rare-earth minerals have attracted international interest.
The new agreement is intended to strengthen U.S., Danish and Greenlandic security cooperation, but its precise impact will become clearer once the full text is released and the required approvals are completed.
