- September 23, 2026
Trump’s Greenland Push Ends In A Deal With Denmark: What Has The US Secured?
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The pact reshapes Washington’s military access to the strategically located Arctic island, but leaves some of Trump’s biggest ambitions untouched.
US President Donald Trump, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen sign a trilateral security deal on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York. (IMAGE: AFP)
For months, Donald Trump’s push for control of Greenland had put the United States at odds with Denmark and rattled the transatlantic alliance.
The US president repeatedly argued that Washington needed the vast Arctic island for national security, pointing to its strategic location and mineral wealth. His threats to “take” Greenland drew opposition from Greenlanders and Danes, while European leaders warned that the rhetoric could damage transatlantic relations.
Now, Washington, Copenhagen and Nuuk have struck an agreement aimed at drawing a line under that standoff.
Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen signed the new security agreement on Tuesday, updating the framework that has governed US defence arrangements in Greenland since 1951.
But after more than a year of tensions over the future of the island, what has Trump actually secured — and what has Greenland agreed to?
Two Military Bases
The agreement allows the United States to establish two additional military bases — at Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland and Mestersvig on the east coast.
Narsarsuaq is a former civilian airport and Second World War military base with a large runway and deep-water access. US North Command confirmed to the BBC that American military engineers had recently been surveying the runway.
Mestersvig, by contrast, is a remote and much less developed outpost currently used by a Danish naval dog-sled unit.
Washington already operates Pituffik Space Base in north-west Greenland, its only active base on the island. The new agreement also allows the US to modernise and expand its activities there.
The size of the eventual American deployment remains unclear. The agreement does not specify troop numbers or give a timeline for developing the new bases.
The operational and technical details of the new bases are yet to be finalised and will require the agreement of all three parties.
US aircraft and vessels will have flyover, landing and undersea rights across Greenland, including its territorial waters.
Ahead of the signing, Trump said, “We will immediately begin the process of developing a large military presence in the appropriate locations”.
Does The Deal Give The US Control Over Greenland?
No territory is ceded to the United States.
The agreement recognises Denmark’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity” as well as Greenland’s right to self-determination.
It also says the United States must carry out its activities in a manner that respects Greenlandic society and the Greenlandic way of life.
That distinction is central to the agreement after Trump’s earlier push to acquire the territory triggered opposition in Greenland, Denmark and elsewhere in Europe.
Frederiksen said the agreement “respects sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark, as well as Greenland’s right to self-determination”.
Nielsen, meanwhile, described the agreement as a “win-win-win”.
“For Greenland, it is not only an agreement about us, it is [an] agreement with us,” he said.
“It takes into account the people of Greenland, our rights, our livelihoods and the development of our country.”
What Does The Agreement Say About NATO?
The deal calls for a stronger NATO presence in the Arctic, while Denmark commits to further strengthening its own security posture in the region.
It also explicitly shuts the door on an enduring military presence by countries outside NATO.
Under the agreement, “no state that is not a member of Nato shall be allowed to establish its own manned or unmanned military installations in Greenland nor shall they be allowed a persistent presence of military forces in Greenland”.
A NATO spokesperson told the BBC that the alliance welcomed the agreement, saying it would “help advance security, stability and cooperation in this vital region”.
What Happens If Greenland Becomes Independent?
The agreement also sets out what would happen to Greenland’s security arrangements if it eventually becomes independent from Denmark.
Denmark and Greenland would have to ensure that an independent Greenland remains in NATO. If necessary, the new state would have to apply for membership.
The security agreement therefore links Greenland’s future defence arrangements to NATO even if its constitutional relationship with Denmark changes.
At the same time, the pact expressly preserves Greenland’s right to self-determination.
Does The US Get Access To Greenland’s Minerals?
The security agreement does not address US interests or investments in Greenland’s mining and natural resources sector.
It does, however, place restrictions on who can control or exercise major influence over sensitive sectors in Greenland.
Investors from outside NATO member states, NATO partner countries or the European Union will be barred from having such control or influence. Greenland will screen investments to enforce those restrictions.
When Will The US-Greenland-Denmark Deal Take Effect?
The agreement has been signed, but it has not yet entered into force. It must first be approved by the parliaments of Denmark and Greenland. Once it takes effect, the pact has no end date. It can be amended only by mutual consent.
Frederiksen described the agreement as a “milestone in our long-standing co-operation”.
“Seventy-five years ago we entered into an agreement about the defence of Greenland. Today, we’re signing an even bigger and better agreement – a deal that can last forever,” she said.
Quick Answers
Ask News18The agreement allows the United States to establish two additional military bases at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig, while updating the 1951 defense framework and expanding activities at Pituffik Space Base. It also grants US aircraft and vessels flyover, landing, and undersea rights across Greenland.
Ask News18About the Author
Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follo…Read More
September 23, 2026, 09:20 IST
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