The U.S. is seeking greater access to bases in Greenland, in what would be the first such expansion in decades, according to a new report.
The New York Times detailed that the U.S. is negotiating with Denmark for access to three additional bases in the territory, including two that had been abandoned by the U.S.
Gen. Gregory M. Guillot told lawmakers in mid-March that forces wanted "increased access to different bases across Greenland as we look at the increasing threat and the strategic importance of Greenland."
"I'm working with our department and others to try to develop more ports, more airfields, which leads to more options for our secretary and for the president, should we need them up in the Arctic," he added.
It is unclear if Denmark will agree to the request. The outlet noted that its government cited a defense pact from the 1950s to push back, highlighting that the U.S. already has broad access to the territory.
Experts cited by the NYT said there is little Denmark can do to block them. A unilateral push could further stoke tensions with the country, which have been rocked over the past year as a result of President Donald Trump's push to take over the island.
In fact, Denmark used military drills to disguise actual preparations to resist a potential U.S. invasion of Greenland last year.
Danish outlet DR claimed that the "Arctic Endurance" drill included an actual deployment of troops with blood reserves and explosives.
Urgency levels increased following the operation that captured Venezuela's authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro earlier this year and his subsequent focus on the Danish territory.
Even though Trump did not follow through on the threats to take over Greenland for national security purposes, Denmark and allies did deploy troops in the island in January.
DR claimed that it had access to a military order authorizing the deployment on January 13. "As Trump constantly said he wanted to buy Greenland and then we saw what happened in Venezuela, we had to seriously consider all possible scenarios," a military official told the outlet.
The officer added that they were joined by French, German and Swedish troops joined the drills as well. "There was no ambiguity."
