US President Donald Trump has announced a new agreement with Denmark and Greenland that he says will give the United States permanent control over Greenland’s security and other strategic needs.
Trump made the announcement on Saturday, saying the agreement would allow Washington to take measures it considers necessary to protect Greenland and US security interests.
According to the US president, the agreement will also prevent countries considered US adversaries from establishing military bases, maintaining a military presence or making sensitive investments in Greenland without Washington’s approval.
Trump described the arrangement as an “Infinite Life” agreement and said the United States would begin the process of developing a larger military presence on the strategically located Arctic island.
The announcement follows months of tension between Washington and Copenhagen over Trump’s repeated calls for greater US control of Greenland. The president had previously argued that Greenland was important to US national security because of its strategic Arctic location and natural resources.
Denmark, Greenland maintain sovereignty
Despite Trump’s description of the agreement, Denmark has stressed that the deal does not transfer ownership of Greenland to the United States.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the agreement recognises the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark, as well as the right of Greenland’s people to self-determination.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen also welcomed the agreement, saying it would strengthen security while recognising Greenland’s interests.
The full text of the agreement has not yet been made public, making it unclear exactly what additional powers or military rights Washington will receive under the new arrangement.
The agreement is expected to be signed during the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week and will still have to pass the necessary parliamentary procedures in Denmark and Greenland before taking effect.
US already has military presence in Greenland
The United States already operates the Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland and has long-standing military rights on the island under a 1951 agreement with Denmark.
The new arrangement is expected to strengthen and potentially expand the American military presence, while restricting Russia, China and other potential US adversaries from establishing military or sensitive economic footholds in Greenland.
A US State Department official said the agreement would prevent China and Russia from establishing bases or sending troops to Greenland and would provide mechanisms to restrict investments in sensitive sectors.
However, analysts and international observers have noted that several of the reported US security rights appear to overlap with military access Washington already possesses under its existing agreement with Denmark.
For now, the precise scope of the new agreement remains unclear until its full text is released.
The development marks a major shift in the dispute over Greenland, with Washington securing a new security arrangement while Denmark and Greenland continue to maintain that the territory remains under Danish sovereignty.
