The trilateral accord expands America’s military presence in Greenland while keeping the territory under Danish sovereignty and strengthening NATO’s Arctic defenses.
President Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen have signed a new security agreement expanding U.S. military access to strategically important Greenland.
The agreement was signed Tuesday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York following months of negotiations among the three governments.
The accord allows expanded U.S. military infrastructure in Greenland, including upgrades at Pituffik Space Base and additional defense areas at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig. It also prevents non-NATO countries from establishing a military presence on the island.
Greenland remains a semiautonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. Greenlandic and Danish leaders emphasized Greenland’s right to self-determination while describing the agreement as a way to strengthen security in the Arctic and North Atlantic.
The region has become increasingly important as Russia and China expand their strategic interests in the Arctic.
The agreement follows months of tension after President Trump previously expressed interest in bringing Greenland under U.S. control. The new arrangement instead expands American defense access while preserving Greenland’s current political status.
