The United States will build two military bases in southern and eastern Greenland under a wide-ranging security agreement signed Tuesday between the United States, Greenland and Denmark on Tuesday.
Since returning to the White House in January 2025, Trump has repeatedly insisted that the US needed to control Greenland for strategic reasons, even refusing to rule out the use of force at one-point, alarming NATO ally Denmark and sparking fierce pushback from the alliance.
On Tuesday, Washington, Copenhagen and Nuuk signed a 10-page agreement in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, giving the US control over security in Denmark's autonomous Arctic territory.
The prime ministers of Denmark and Greenland expressed satisfaction at finally having a deal in place.
"With this agreement, it is our clear assessment that the Kingdom of Denmark stands in a better place than we did yesterday. And tomorrow is a new day, and as everyone knows, we live in uncertain times," Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told reporters after the signing.
"I hope the agreement will bring more peace of mind in Greenland, because it has been a tough time," she noted.
Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen echoed that sentiment.
"This is a step in a really good direction," he said.
"But back home we need to rebuild trust, and that will be a process for us."
Stopping China, Russia
Under the deal -- which reaffirmed "the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark" and recognised Greenland's "right to self-determination" -- Washington will establish military bases in Narsarsuaq in the south of the island and Mestersvig in the east, in addition to the Pituffik base it already operates in the north.
In a section aimed at barring US adversaries China and Russia from gaining a foothold on Greenland, the agreement blocks non-NATO, non-EU countries from strategic sectors on the island.
"The Parties agree that states or investors from a state that is not a member of NATO, a NATO partner, or an EU member state shall not be allowed to have control, significant influence, or access to non-public information that may constitute a threat to national security or public order within particularly sensitive sectors or activities in the territory of Greenland (including the Territorial Waters), unless agreed between the Parties that the activities of such states or investors would not constitute a threat to national security or public order," the agreement says.
It also stipulates that Greenland, home to 57,000 inhabitants, must continue to abide by the agreement even if it obtains independence from Denmark, and must remain in or join NATO "if necessary".
Under a 1951 defence pact updated in 2004, Washington was already able to ramp up its military presence on the island provided it informed Denmark and Greenland in advance.
