The United States, Denmark and Greenland announced late on Sep. 18 that they had reached an agreement to expand military deployment and to bar US adversaries from establishing military bases in Greenland. On the same day, Trump said in a post on social media that the deal would give Washington "permanent control" over Greenland's security and other necessary matters. In response, Danish and Greenlandic officials said in statements on Sep. 19 that the agreement with the United States would not undermine Greenland's sovereignty.
According to foreign media reports, Trump posted on Truth Social on Sep. 18 that under the agreement, the United States will forever have the full ability to take necessary action in Greenland to ensure and defend the security of Greenland and the United States of America. He added that the deal would give the US permanent control over Greenland's "security and all other needs." No US adversary may establish a military presence or make sensitive investments there without written approval from Washington.
On Sep. 19, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen issued a statement describing "next week may be a good week for Greenland, Denmark and the United States," and expressing hope that this period of uncertainty would ultimately give way to a binding agreement that strengthens Arctic and North Atlantic security while respecting Denmark's "red lines." On the same day, Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said in a post that the agreement confirmed respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark and the right of the people of Greenland to self-determination.
The agreement is expected to be formally signed next week during the United Nations General Assembly. Specific details of the agreement have not yet been made public, including the extent of US troop deployment on the Danish autonomous territory and whether Denmark will transfer some diplomatic and natural resource authority to the United States.
Some residents in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, expressed concern and scepticism about the expansion of US influence, saying the United States should respect local territorial integrity and that cooperation with NATO would be more appropriate.
Since the second Trump administration took office, the security and mineral resources of the Arctic island have been a focus of Washington's foreign policy. Officials have cited national security, access to valuable natural resources including rare earth minerals, and control over emerging Arctic shipping routes as reasons.
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