U.S. President Donald Trump announced Friday that his administration had reached an agreement with Denmark to expand the American military presence in Greenland, following months of tension over the strategically located Arctic territory.
In a social media post, Trump said the arrangement would give the United States lasting authority over security matters and allow work to begin immediately on a larger military footprint. He described the agreement as addressing Washington’s concerns about Greenland, which is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark and has significant mineral resources.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s office offered a more qualified account. It said representatives of the United States, Denmark and Greenland were expected to sign the agreement during the United Nations General Assembly the following week. However, the deal would still require action by the Danish and Greenlandic parliaments before taking effect.
Frederiksen said the agreement recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Denmark and Greenland, as well as Greenlanders’ right to self-determination. Those provisions distinguish the proposed security arrangement from Trump’s earlier calls for Denmark to sell Greenland to the United States.
Since returning to office, Trump has argued that control of Greenland is important to U.S. national security. He had previously declined to rule out using military force to acquire the island, despite Denmark’s status as a fellow member of NATO.
Danish and Greenlandic officials have repeatedly stated that Greenland is not for sale. They have also criticized reports that the United States was conducting intelligence-gathering activities on the island. European governments and Russia have opposed American efforts to acquire the territory.
The announced agreement may reduce diplomatic tensions, but its final terms and practical effects remain uncertain. Approval in Denmark and Greenland under their respective legal systems will be necessary before the expanded U.S. security role can be implemented.