Trump says US, Denmark reach deal on Greenland security
 |
| Aerial view of Nuuk, Greenland. FILE PHOTO. |
WASHINGTON — September 18, 2026
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that the United States, Denmark and Greenland had reached an agreement to strengthen US military access to Greenland and prevent rival powers from establishing military bases or making certain sensitive investments on the Arctic island.
Trump said the arrangement would give the United States permanent access to Greenland for security and defense purposes. He also said the agreement would have no expiry date and would prevent US adversaries from taking actions on the island without Washington's approval.
The announcement falls short of Trump's earlier push for the United States to acquire Greenland. Instead, the reported arrangement focuses on military access and security cooperation while Greenland remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Denmark's government has separately said the planned agreement recognizes the kingdom's sovereignty and Greenland's right to self-determination.
The United States already has broad military rights in Greenland under a 1951 defense agreement with Denmark, including access for military operations, basing and overflight. Greenland also hosts a US Space Force installation in the northwest of the island.
Trump said the United States would soon establish a larger military presence in Greenland, but the available information does not make clear whether this would involve new permanent bases or expanded use of existing facilities. The exact scope of the planned military expansion also remains unclear.
Danish and Greenlandic officials welcomed the reported security arrangement. Denmark said it would strengthen security in the Arctic and North Atlantic, while Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the agreement recognized Greenland's interests and its role in international cooperation.
The reported agreement would also restrict military activity by countries outside NATO. A US State Department official said non-NATO countries would not be allowed to establish bases in Greenland, while the United States and its allies would be able to make certain sensitive investments. The official also said the US rights would continue even if Greenland eventually became independent.
The arrangement comes after months of tension over Greenland's strategic importance. The island is located between North America and Europe and has become increasingly important to Arctic security, while Greenland's population has continued to express support for self-determination.
However, the precise legal and military terms of the agreement were not fully public on Friday. Denmark's government said separately that Greenland, Denmark and the United States were expected to sign the agreement the following week at the United Nations General Assembly, after which it would still require the necessary parliamentary procedures before taking effect.
That means the announcement describes an agreed security framework, but important details about implementation, including any new US bases and the exact limits on foreign investment, remain to be clarified.
