US and Denmark reach deal over Greenland after Trump annexation threats

President Donald Trump announced that the United States has reached an agreement with Denmark that will give Washington “permanent control over security, and all other needs” in Greenland, the semi‑autonomous Danish territory. The deal, which Trump posted about on Truth Social, promises “no cost to the United States” and includes a clause preventing any U.S. adversary from maintaining a military presence or making “sensitive investments” in Greenland without explicit written approval from Washington. Denmark’s prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, said the agreement will be signed at the United Nations General Assembly next week and will “strengthen security in the Arctic and the North Atlantic area” while respecting Greenland’s sovereignty and the right to self‑determination. Greenland’s government chair, Jens‑Frederik Nielsen, called the pact “gratifying” and said it “ensures and strengthens the security of Greenland, Denmark and the US.” The agreement still requires parliamentary approval in Denmark before it can enter into force.

The arrangement appears to codify U.S. military prerogatives that already exist under a 1951 treaty, but adds new provisions that would allow the United States unilateral authority to construct additional bases, secure permanent access, basing and overflight rights, and ban non‑NATO states from building facilities or investing in sectors deemed “sensitive.” An unnamed State Department official said the deal would remain in effect even if Greenland were to become independent, and it would block Russia and China from deploying troops or making strategic investments on the island. Currently more than 100 U.S. service members are stationed at the Pituffik base in north‑western Greenland, and Trump has linked the agreement to his broader “Golden Dome” missile‑defence concept aimed at shielding the United States from Russian and Chinese attacks.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hailed the pact as a “historic deal” and a “huge win for the United States and the American people,” emphasizing that it “permanently and completely addresses our national security concerns in Greenland.” While the full text of the agreement has not been released, Danish officials have not confirmed the specific details Trump cited, and the BBC’s inquiries to both the Danish embassy and the White House have gone unanswered. The deal’s implications extend beyond military considerations, touching on Greenland’s vast rare‑earth mineral reserves that are vital for technologies such as smartphones and electric vehicles, and raising questions about how NATO allies and the European Union will respond to a strengthened U.S. foothold in the Arctic.

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