US President Donald Trump has announced what he described as a permanent security arrangement with Denmark and Greenland that would expand the American military presence on the strategically important Arctic island and restrict access by US adversaries.
Trump disclosed the agreement in a post on Truth Social, saying it would have no expiry and would address Washington’s long-standing security concerns over Greenland.
“There will be NO COST to the United States!” Trump said, adding that American representatives had worked with Denmark and Greenland under his direction to reach the arrangement.
According to a State Department official, the agreement would remain in force even if Greenland eventually became fully independent.
The official said the deal provides the United States with permanent access, basing and overflight rights and allows Washington to increase the number of military bases in Greenland when necessary.
Trump also said adversarial countries would be prevented from establishing military facilities or making sensitive investments on the island without US approval.
“Additionally, from now on, no U.S. adversary can EVER have a base in Greenland, have a military presence in Greenland, or make sensitive investments in Greenland, without our express written approval,” he said.
The president announced that the US would immediately begin preparations to expand its military presence in Greenland, although he did not disclose the proposed locations, number of troops involved or construction timeline.
“We will immediately begin the process of developing a large Military presence in the appropriate part of Greenland, of which there are many,” Trump said.
“We will work with the people of Greenland in its development and construction.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the arrangement as a permanent guarantee of American security interests in the Arctic.
“Greenland will forever be part of the strategic defense area of North America and exclude any adversary from it and the surrounding area,” Rubio said.
“This deal permanently and completely addresses our national security concerns in Greenland.”
The State Department official said the agreement would explicitly prevent countries outside NATO from establishing bases or deploying troops in Greenland, specifically citing China and Russia.
The official also said the arrangement would restrict adversaries from making sensitive investments in sectors considered important to US national security, with such investments limited to the United States and its allies.
Trump said the agreement was reached during the week and would continue to apply even if Greenland became independent. He also said the arrangement would benefit Denmark, Greenland and US allies.
The announcement comes against the backdrop of a longstanding US military relationship with Greenland. Washington and Copenhagen signed a defence agreement in 1951, while a subsequent agreement signed at Igaliku in 2004 amended and supplemented the framework.
Greenland is also home to the US military’s Pituffik Space Base, whose radar systems support missile warning, missile defence and space surveillance operations.
However, the text of the newly announced agreement was not included in the supplied announcements, and statements from the Danish and Greenlandic authorities were not provided.
Details on how the planned military expansion would be financed also remain unclear despite Trump’s assertion that the arrangement would carry no cost to the United States.
