U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington and Denmark have reached an agreement to expand the U.S. military presence in Greenland, but key details of the deal have yet to be made public.
Trump said Friday the agreement would give the United States long-term control over security and other needs in the strategically located Arctic territory, while preventing countries he considers adversaries from establishing military bases or other sensitive facilities there.
“We will immediately begin the process of developing a large Military presence in the appropriate part of Greenland,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
The announcement follows months of discussions involving U.S., Danish and Greenlandic officials over Washington’s security concerns about the territory, which has a population of about 56,000.
Trump has repeatedly argued since returning to office that control of Greenland is important to U.S. national security, citing concerns about potential Russian and Chinese activity in the Arctic.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the three governments are expected to sign the agreement next week. It would then require approval by Denmark’s parliament before taking effect.
Frederiksen said the deal would strengthen security in the Arctic and North Atlantic, benefiting NATO and Europe, while respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark and the right of Greenlanders to self-determination.
Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen also said the agreement recognised Greenland’s interests.
The announcement nevertheless leaves questions over the precise terms of the proposed arrangement, including the extent of any expanded U.S. military presence and what authority Washington would have over security and investment decisions in Greenland.
Trump said the United States should have the ability to prevent an adversary from building a base, establishing a military presence or making what he described as sensitive investments in the territory without U.S. approval.
Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, has become increasingly important to the security calculations of the United States and its NATO allies because of its location between North America and Europe and its position in the Arctic.
