Trump Announces Agreement with Denmark Granting Washington "Permanent Control" Over Greenland's Security

US President Donald Trump announced an agreement with Denmark granting Washington “permanent control” over Greenland’s security and preventing rivals such as Russia and China from establishing bases on the polar island.

Trump has repeatedly insisted since his return to the White House in January 2025 that Washington must control Greenland for strategic reasons, even threatening to annex the large, self-governing Danish territory, which raised concerns in Denmark and among other US allies in NATO.

Both Denmark and Greenland welcomed the agreement and confirmed it would be signed on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly scheduled for next week in New York.

However, the terms of the agreement remain unclear, while Denmark maintains that its sovereignty remains intact.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the agreement in a statement as one that “simultaneously recognizes the sovereignty of the Kingdom and the integrity of its territory, as well as the right of the Greenlandic people to self-determination.”

For his part, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, “I am pleased to announce that the United States of America has reached an agreement with the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland, granting the United States permanent control over security and all other needs in Greenland.”

He added, “From now on, no adversary of the United States will ever be able to establish a base in Greenland, have a military presence there, or make sensitive investments there, without our explicit written consent.”

He affirmed that it is “an agreement for an indefinite period, with no end,” noting that Washington would immediately begin establishing a strong military presence in the territory.

Trump has repeatedly warned of Russian and Chinese attempts to establish bases in Greenland amid fierce competition to control natural resources and new sea routes as sea ice melts.

A State Department official, who requested anonymity, said the agreement “explicitly guarantees the United States full authority to take whatever it deems necessary in Greenland to secure and defend the American continent, including permanent access rights, the establishment of military bases, and air operations.”

He added, “The agreement ensures that China and Russia cannot establish bases in Greenland or send troops there, and it provides the necessary mechanisms to prevent investment in sensitive sectors.”

Trump had previously reached an agreement with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January regarding Greenland’s future, though its terms remained vague.

The Danish Prime Minister expressed “optimism” on Monday, anticipating that ongoing negotiations with the United States and Greenland since the beginning of the year would resolve the dispute.

Trump did not disclose any details about the agreement’s terms, and it remains unclear whether it is linked to or differs from the agreement with Rutte.

However, several media outlets reported that the United States intends to establish new military bases in southern Greenland, in addition to the Pituffik base previously established in the north of the island.

Under a defense agreement signed in 1951 and updated in 2004, Washington can already enhance its military deployment and facilities on the island, provided it notifies Danish and Greenlandic authorities in advance.

When tensions over Greenland escalated, Trump did not rule out using force to take control of the island, raising concerns in the European Union and NATO.

He later retracted his threats as tensions subsided, and NATO launched a new mission to enhance security in the Arctic Circle, as a gesture to appease Trump.