US President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an agreement with Denmark and Greenland aimed at strengthening security in the Arctic and North Atlantic, easing tensions over his repeated calls for Greenland to become part of the United States.
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Speaking at the UN General Assembly earlier, Trump offered some details of the arrangement.
“We will immediately begin the process of developing a large military presence in the appropriate locations,” he said, including “building two very major military bases.”
According to the Associated Press, officials from the US, Greenland and Denmark had negotiated for months behind the scenes, seeking solutions to some of Trump's security concerns over the mineral-rich island.
Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen said on Tuesday that the deal being signed was a “deal that can last forever,” calling it good for the US, Greenland, Denmark and the wider NATO alliance.
Trump had previously insisted that the US needed to “take Greenland” to prevent Russia or China from doing the same.
The US has maintained a military presence in Greenland for many years, though it has declined significantly since 1945. From thousands of soldiers stationed across 17 bases and installations to roughly 200 personnel at the remote Pituffik Space Base in the northwest. The base supports missile warning, missile defence and space surveillance operations for the US and NATO.
Last year, Denmark's parliament approved a legislation allowing US military bases on Danish soil, expanding a 2023 military agreement with the Biden administration that gave US troops broad access to Danish air bases.
Greenland's future has also been shaped by trade and interest in its natural resources. About two-thirds of the island lies within the Arctic Circle, where melting sea ice has opened additional shipping routes.
