Trump signs Greenland deal giving U.S. broad military authority on the island

Washington — The U.S., Denmark and Greenland on Tuesday signed a new security agreement bolstering the United States’ military and security presence on the island in the North Atlantic, the culmination of years of tensions over the future of the Danish territory.

President Trump, Greenland Premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen signed the security agreement on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The White House released the text of the deal shortly after the signing ceremony.

The agreement reaffirms the sovereignty of Greenland, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, but gives the U.S. broad access to the island’s airspace and territory. 

The plan allows the U.S. to expand the existing Pituffik Space Base, the northernmost U.S. military installation which serves as an early-warning system for incoming missiles. The agreement also allows the U.S. to establish an additional “defense area” for another base. Any of the three parties can propose more sites as needed, subject to approval by the others. 

The deal, which has no expiration date, also blocks non-NATO countries from establishing bases on the island without agreement from the parties. The agreement persists even if Greenland eventually becomes independent from Denmark. It intensifies screening for foreign investment from non-NATO and non-European Union members, a move aimed at blocking influence from China and Russia.

The leaders of Greenland and Denmark emphasized that the deal was a reflection of the changing security landscape in the Arctic. Mr. Trump has long toyed with the possibility of acquiring Greenland, by force if necessary, drawing criticism from NATO allies. 

“We’re going to have a tremendous relationship, a secure relationship, and we look forward to it,” Mr. Trump said. “We’ll be working very hard and very much in conjunction with each other, and it’s just a real honor to be here.”

Nielsen said the “world has changed a great deal since 1951,” referring to a previous security pact that the new deal amends. Nielsen said the people of Greenland “recognize the long-term security threats that you, Mr. President, have rightly spoken about.”

“This agreement should put to rest any doubt today and in the future about where Greenland’s loyalty lies,” Nielsen said. 

Frederiksen said the deal respects the “territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark, as well as Greenland’s right to self-determination.” 

In his speech before the U.N. General Assembly immediately prior to signing the deal, Mr. Trump said the agreement allows for the U.S. to build two new bases in Greenland. The U.S. already has an active military base in Greenland. 

“This agreement, made with the Kingdom of Denmark, an incredible, beautiful country, and the Greenland people itself, gives the United States permanent control over security and all other needs on that territory,” Mr. Trump said. “We will have the complete ability to do what is necessary to defend the American continent and also Europe and other places. No U.S. adversary will ever be permitted to establish a military presence in Greenland anymore, or make sensitive investments there without our express written approval.”