Donald Trump signed a Greenland security agreement with Denmark and Greenland on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York after 'Send in the Clowns' played before the leaders entered.
The song drew attention during the wait, although whether its selection was deliberate remains uncertain, as Trump gave his nod to the agreement that followed months of negotiations over US security concerns about Greenland.
Trump had repeatedly refused to rule out an invasion of the autonomous territory, straining relations with Denmark and other NATO allies as officials sought an agreement on Arctic and North Atlantic security.
Trump's Entrance Follows 'Send in the Clowns'
Delegates and journalists were awaiting Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland's prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen.
Several songs played before they arrived, with 'Send in the Clowns', from the 1973 musical A Little Night Music, the final track before their entrance.
The Guardian's Jakub Krupa, reporting live from the venue, singled out the song as the last selection before the three leaders arrived. Its lyrics could be heard on the live feed while the final delegates, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, joined the formal ceremony.
That sequence is what the account describes. It does not establish that the music was intended as a comment on Trump or either of the other leaders.
Mirror US said it had contacted the UN in New York for comment about the song selection. It was unclear whether the song was played deliberately or by accident.
Trump Outlines Plans for Two Military Bases
The agreement aimed to strengthen Arctic and North Atlantic security. Officials from the United States, Greenland and Denmark had spent months negotiating behind the scenes, exploring ways to address some of Trump's concerns about the mineral-rich island.
Addressing the UN General Assembly, Trump described plans to expand the American military presence.
'We will immediately begin the process of developing a large military presence in the appropriate locations,' he said. His remarks included plans for 'building two very major military bases'.
The proposed expansion follows a substantial reduction in US forces on Greenland over the decades. According to the report, the American presence has dwindled since 1945 from thousands of troops across 17 bases and installations to roughly 200 personnel at Pituffik Space Base in the northwest.
Pituffik supports missile warning, missile defence and space surveillance missions for the United States and NATO. Greenland's geography also shapes the security backdrop, with about two-thirds of its territory inside the Arctic Circle, where melting sea ice has opened new shipping routes.
Trump's Greenland Demands Tested Relations With Allies
Trump previously insisted that the United States needed to 'take Greenland' to prevent Russia or China from doing so. He said he preferred making a deal, while also declaring, 'one way or the other, we're going to have Greenland.'
Frederiksen warned that a US takeover would represent the end of the Atlantic alliance. The standoff unsettled many of Greenland's roughly 56,000 inhabitants and generated friction between Washington, Denmark and its European Union partners.
European partners increased security exercises on the island and its financial support during the dispute.
Denmark's parliament also passed legislation permitting US military bases on Danish soil. That measure broadened a 2023 military agreement reached with the Biden administration, which granted US troops extensive access to air bases in Denmark.
