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The United States, Denmark and Greenland reached an agreement that gives Washington permanent control over security and other needs in Greenland, with the deal expected to be signed next week on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Under the deal, Washington gets permanent access, basing, and overflight rights in Greenland, while China and Russia are barred from establishing bases or deploying troops, and U.S. adversaries face restrictions on sensitive investments, according to President Donald Trump.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the agreement Friday, saying it permanently addresses longstanding U.S. concerns over Greenland’s strategic importance.
"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," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
He said the deal would come at no cost to the U.S. and allow Washington to take whatever measures it deems necessary to secure Greenland and defend the United States.
"We will immediately begin the process of developing a large Military presence in the appropriate part of Greenland, of which there are many," Trump added.
Trump called it an "Infinite Life" agreement with no end, saying it resolves an issue successive U.S. presidents had recognized as strategically important.
In a statement from the Danish prime minister’s office, Mette Frederiksen said the deal would strengthen security in the Arctic and North Atlantic while recognizing Denmark’s sovereignty and Greenland’s right to self-determination.
Greenland government chairman Jens-Frederik Nielsen also welcomed the agreement, saying it strengthens security while recognizing Greenland’s interests and role in international cooperation.
A State Department official told AFP that the agreement bars China and Russia from establishing bases or deploying troops in Greenland and includes mechanisms to block investment in sensitive sectors. The deal also grants the U.S. permanent access, basing and overflight rights to secure and defend the American continent.
The agreement comes after months of pressure from Trump to bring Greenland under U.S. control, including repeated calls to acquire the strategically located Arctic territory.
The White House has framed Greenland as a national security priority, with Trump arguing that greater U.S. control is needed to deter potential Russian and Chinese threats in the Arctic.
In January, the White House said Trump was considering multiple options for acquiring Greenland, including a potential U.S. purchase and other arrangements, while not ruling out military force.
In July, Trump again asserted that Greenland should be controlled by the United States during the NATO Summit in Ankara, while Frederiksen reiterated that the island was not for sale and Nielsen rejected a U.S. takeover.
Frederiksen said earlier this week that she was optimistic that Washington and Copenhagen could find a peaceful way forward over Greenland, signaling that negotiations had moved toward a diplomatic solution.
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