The United States and Denmark have announced an agreement on security in Greenland after months of diplomatic tension driven by President Donald Trump’s threats to take control of the Danish territory.
Trump said the arrangement would give the United States “permanent control over security, and all other needs” in Greenland. In a Truth Social post, he said the agreement would come at “no cost to the United States” and allow Washington to take action it considered necessary to secure and defend Greenland.
However, the text of the agreement has not been published, and Danish officials have not confirmed the specific provisions described by Trump. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the agreement would be signed during next week’s United Nations General Assembly, but added that it must first pass the required parliamentary procedures before entering into force.
Sovereignty and security
Frederiksen said the agreement would strengthen shared security in the Arctic and North Atlantic while recognising the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom and Greenlanders’ right to self-determination.
Jens-Frederik Nielsen, chairman of the Greenland government, welcomed the planned agreement, saying it would help ensure and reinforce security for Greenland, Denmark and the United States. He said the arrangement recognised Greenland’s interests and its role in international cooperation.
Trump had argued that Greenland was vulnerable to countries including Russia and China, citing the territory’s strategic location and mineral resources. His efforts to purchase or annex Greenland, including threats of military action, prompted criticism in Denmark and among other Nato countries.
Unreleased terms
An unnamed US State Department official said the deal would remain in force if Greenland became independent in the future. The official said it would provide the US with unilateral authority to construct additional military facilities without approval from Greenland or Denmark, alongside permanent access, basing and overflight rights.
According to the official, the agreement would prevent non-Nato countries from establishing bases in Greenland and restrict investments by US adversaries in sectors considered sensitive. The official specifically referred to Russia and China. Without the published text, it remains unclear how the new agreement would differ from a 1951 arrangement under which the US can deploy as many troops as it wants to Greenland.
The United States already has more than 100 military personnel permanently stationed at Pituffik base in north-western Greenland. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the agreement a historic deal and said it addressed US national-security concerns in Greenland.
Source: BBC News
