By Paul Joseph
The United States, Denmark and Greenland have reached a security agreement that will significantly expand Washington’s military and strategic role in the Arctic territory, following months of tensions over President Donald Trump’s demands for greater US control of Greenland.
Trump announced the agreement on Friday, September 18, saying it gives the United States permanent control over Greenland’s security and other security-related needs. He also said the arrangement would prevent US adversaries from establishing military bases, deploying forces or making sensitive investments in the territory without Washington’s approval.
The agreement is expected to be formally signed by the United States, Denmark and Greenland on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen confirmed the agreement but stressed that it recognises the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark as well as the Greenlandic people’s right to self-determination.
She added that the deal would still have to undergo the required parliamentary procedures before taking effect.
Greenland’s government also welcomed the agreement, saying it would strengthen the security of Greenland, Denmark and the United States while recognising Greenland’s interests and role in international cooperation.
Details of the full agreement have not yet been publicly released. However, a US State Department official said the arrangement would provide Washington with permanent access, basing and overflight rights in Greenland.
The official also said the agreement would prevent non-NATO countries from establishing military bases in Greenland and restrict sensitive investments by US adversaries, particularly Russia and China. The provisions would reportedly remain in place even if Greenland eventually becomes independent.
The deal would build on an existing 1951 defence arrangement between the United States and Denmark that already permits a US military presence in Greenland. Washington currently operates Pituffik Space Base in north-western Greenland, where more than 100 US military personnel are stationed.
Trump has repeatedly argued that Greenland’s strategic location, mineral resources and importance to North American defence make greater US involvement necessary.
His push to acquire or annex the territory had generated strong opposition from Denmark and Greenland and raised concerns among other NATO members. The new agreement, however, stops short of transferring ownership of Greenland to the United States, according to the details released so far.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the agreement as a major development that addresses Washington’s long-term security concerns.
The strategic importance of Greenland also stems from its vast deposits of rare-earth minerals, which are used in industries ranging from electronics to electric vehicles.
With the agreement still awaiting formal signing and parliamentary procedures, questions remain over its precise legal scope and how the new security arrangements will operate alongside Denmark’s sovereignty and Greenland’s self-government.
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