President Donald Trump announced a new deal with Denmark on Friday that he says grants the United States “permanent control over security” in Greenland, a territory he has previously threatened to take control of by force.
“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, completely addressing ALL of our many U.S. concerns,” the president said in a post on Truth Social.
Trump has previously rattled Europe with demands for the U.S. to take over the territory, a semiautonomous region of NATO member Denmark, on occasion threatening military action and vowing to take control “one way or the other.” Those threats led to warnings that such a move could effectively collapse the U.S.-led NATO alliance.
The leader had argued that the U.S. must take control of Greenland to avoid Russia and China gaining influence in the Arctic territory, an argument Beijing dismissed as “an excuse” to pursue his own territorial ambitions.
The island will remain part of Denmark under the new deal, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen indicated Friday in a statement alongside Greenland’s leaders, short of Trump’s previous demand. She said that the agreement recognizes Danish “sovereignty and territorial integrity” as well as Greenlanders’ “right to self-determination.”
The full text of the agreement has not been released, but a State Department official said in a statement to NBC News that the agreement explicitly bans any non-NATO base or troop presence in Greenland. It also includes screening mechanisms intended to block investments from Russia and China and bans them, and other adversaries, from making investments in Greenland that could threaten the U.S.
Trump described it as an “Infinite Life agreement” and said it would come at “NO COST” to the U.S.
He also said that the administration will work with Greenland to immediately begin developing a “large Military presence in the appropriate part of Greenland, of which there are many.”
The U.S. already has a military base on Greenland and rights to expand its presence there through existing agreements dating back to 1951.
The American military presence on Greenland has been significantly scaled back since the height of the Cold War, when critical missile early-warning systems were installed there. During the first Trump administration, the former U.S. Air Force base was handed over to the newly created Space Force and re-designated as Pituffik Space Base.
The agreement is expected to be signed by Denmark, Greenland and the U.S. next week in connection with the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York City, Denmark said.
Frederiksen, the Danish Prime Minister, described the deal as “an agreement that strengthens our common security in the Arctic and the North Atlantic area and is therefore also good for NATO and Europe.”
Jens-Frederik Nielsen, chairman of the Greenland government, wrote in a statement that the deal is “to the benefit of us all.”
“It is gratifying that we are about to enter into an agreement that ensures and strengthens the security of Greenland, the Kingdom of Denmark, the United States and the Western alliance. The agreement recognizes Greenland’s interests and our place in international cooperation,” Nielsen wrote.
“Greenland will forever be part of the strategic defense area of North America and exclude any adversary from it and the surrounding area,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement. “This deal permanently and completely addresses our national security concerns in Greenland.”
A State Department official told NBC News that the agreement will remain fully in effect “forever,” including “if Greenland becomes a fully independent country” from Denmark.
“The agreement explicitly guarantees the United States the complete ability to do what it deems is necessary in Greenland in order to secure and defend the American continent, including permanent access, basing, and overflight rights,” the official said. “This agreement ensures the necessary U.S. military presence in Greenland permanently, allowing the U.S. military to increase the number of bases in Greenland as required.”
Only around 56,000 people live in Greenland, which was colonized by Denmark and Norway more than 300 years ago. The island is about three times the size of Texas, but it looms artificially much larger on the traditional Mercator projection world map, its scale distorted to appear much bigger than its true size.
As well as its strategic position in the Arctic, Greenland contains vast mineral resources, much of which remain untapped due to its hostile climate.
Trump’s previous approach has sparked outrage from Greenlanders, who consistently have shown in polls that they overwhelmingly reject American annexation.
Despite the strong opposition to Trump’s threats, Greenland’s government had been participating in negotiations alongside Denmark and the U.S. to find a solution to security concerns.
The Trump administration has continued its efforts to sway opinion, including with a visit from the U.S. special envoy to Greenland, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, in May.
