Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced a new agreement with Denmark and Greenland that would expand the United States’ long-term military role on the strategically important Arctic island.
The three governments are expected to formally sign the agreement next week during the United Nations General Assembly, according to Denmark’s prime minister’s office.
The agreement would then be subject to required parliamentary procedures before taking effect.
Trump said the arrangement would give the United States a permanent security role in Greenland and allow Washington to expand its military presence.
The agreement also is expected to prevent non-NATO countries from establishing military bases and restrict certain sensitive investments from U.S. adversaries.
The agreement does not give the United States ownership of Greenland.
Danish and Greenlandic officials said it recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenlanders’ right to self-determination.
The deal follows months of tension after Trump repeatedly expressed interest in gaining greater U.S. control over Greenland, citing national security concerns and the island’s strategic location in the Arctic.
The White House has also identified Greenland as part of its broader Arctic security strategy.
In Its 2026 Maritime Action Plan, it calls for modernizing U.S. defense and security infrastructure in Greenland and strengthening cooperation with Arctic allies.
The United States already operates Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland under a longstanding defense arrangement with Denmark.
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