Amid Trump’s threats to take over Greenland, US, Denmark reach security deal

Washington: US President Donald Trump on Friday announced an Arctic security agreement with Denmark and Greenland, following months of renewed pressure to bring the semi-autonomous Danish territory under US control.

The full details of the agreement were not immediately disclosed. Trump described the pact as historic and significant, while leaders in Denmark and Greenland said the three governments were expected to formally sign it on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week, The Guardian reported.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the agreement would give the United States permanent control over security and other requirements in Greenland, addressing what he described as Washington’s concerns. He also said the US would begin developing a larger military presence in an appropriate part of the island.

The United States already maintains a military presence in Greenland and has rights under NATO arrangements to expand its facilities there.

Trump also said the agreement would prevent any US adversary from establishing a military base or presence in Greenland or making sensitive investments on the island without Washington’s written approval.

However, statements from Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic government leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen indicated that the agreement would not amount to the US acquiring Greenland, a proposal Trump has repeatedly advanced.

Frederiksen said the agreement recognised the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom as well as the Greenlandic people’s right to self-determination. Nielsen said the pact would strengthen the security of Greenland, Denmark, the United States and the wider Western alliance.

The statements also suggested that the agreement could largely reaffirm existing US security rights in Greenland under NATO arrangements. The pact would still have to undergo parliamentary procedures in Denmark and Greenland before it could take effect.

Trump has previously argued that US control of Greenland is necessary for economic and national security reasons. During his first term in 2019, he confirmed reports that he had explored the possibility of purchasing the territory, describing the idea as a major real-estate transaction.

His repeated push to acquire Greenland has caused tensions within the Western alliance, with Denmark maintaining that the territory is not for sale. Trump revived his proposal at a NATO summit in Ankara earlier this year and also threatened to withdraw US troops from Europe amid opposition to his position.

Greenland's strategic location between North America and Russia has made the island increasingly important to Arctic security as melting sea ice opens new geopolitical and economic possibilities. The US has maintained a military facility at Pituffik, formerly known as Thule Air Base, since the Cold War.

Trump administration officials have faced resistance in Greenland over Washington’s efforts to increase its influence on the mineral-rich island, which has a population of around 56,000. Polling has also indicated strong opposition among Greenlanders to becoming part of the United States.

The announcement came weeks before the US midterm elections, potentially providing Trump with a foreign-policy achievement as Republicans face political pressure over the war with Iran.