US and Denmark reach deal on Greenland military presence amid sovereignty dispute

The United States, Denmark, and Greenland have reached a security agreement to expand the U.S. military presence in the Arctic. While President Donald Trump claims the deal secures permanent U.S. control over Greenland, Danish and Greenlandic leaders emphasize that the accord preserves their sovereignty and self-determination. The deal, which follows months of diplomatic tension and threats of annexation by Trump, explicitly bans non-NATO bases and blocks sensitive investments from Russia and China.

US-Denmark-Greenland security agreement

• ▪The United States, Denmark, and Greenland reached an agreement on September 18, 2026, to strengthen security in the Arctic and North Atlantic regions.
• ▪President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that the Greenland security agreement between the United States and Denmark gives the United States permanent control over Greenland's security and all other needs
• ▪The Greenland security agreement between the United States and Denmark is expected to be signed next week in New York City during the United Nations General Assembly

Greenland sovereignty assurances

• ▪Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated that the security agreement between the US, Denmark, and Greenland recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark
• ▪Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen stated that the Greenland security agreement recognizes the Greenlandic people's right to self-determination
• ▪University of Copenhagen professor Mikkel Vedby Rasmussen noted that if Copenhagen cedes formal power over foreign policy and resources to Washington, Greenlanders may question if they are replacing a Danish colonial relationship with an American one

Trump annexation threats background

• ▪A January 2025 poll found that 85 percent of Greenlanders opposed becoming part of the United States.
• ▪President Donald Trump threatened steep tariffs on Denmark and other countries in early 2026 if they did not cooperate with his efforts to buy Greenland.
• ▪President Donald Trump previously threatened to seize Greenland by force, prompting Denmark to fly emergency blood supplies and explosives to the island earlier in 2026.

US military base expansion

• ▪The United States plans to immediately begin developing a large military presence in Greenland, according to a social media post by President Donald Trump.
• ▪An unnamed U.S. State Department official stated that the Greenland security agreement guarantees the United States permanent access, basing, and overflight rights in Greenland
• ▪The United States currently operates Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland under a bilateral defense treaty signed with Denmark in 1951.

Adversary base prohibition

• ▪An unnamed U.S. State Department official stated that the Greenland security agreement explicitly bans any non-NATO military base or troop presence in Greenland
• ▪The Greenland security agreement between the United States and Denmark includes screening mechanisms designed to block investments from adversaries, specifically Russia and China, in Greenland's sensitive sectors

Parliamentary ratification requirements

• ▪The Greenland security agreement between the United States and Denmark must undergo necessary parliamentary procedures in both Denmark and Greenland before it can officially enter into force
• ▪Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen stated that the binding agreement must respect the Danish Kingdom's red lines.