Trump Announces Open-Ended Greenland Security Deal, Limits Sensitive Investment to US and Allies

US President Donald Trump said on Friday that the United States, Denmark and Greenland had reached an agreement enabling Washington to build a significant military presence in Greenland while preventing US adversaries from establishing bases on the Arctic island.

Trump said in a Truth Social post that no US adversary would be allowed to make “sensitive investments” in Greenland without US approval. He said the agreement had no expiry date.

“Under my direction, we have worked with representatives of Denmark and Greenland to ensure that the United States will forever have the full capability to take whatever steps are necessary to ensure and protect the security of Greenland and the United States,” Trump wrote.

Trump said the United States would soon establish a major military presence on the island, without providing further details. The United States currently operates a Space Force base in remote northwestern Greenland.

“This is a dream come true for the United States,” Trump wrote.

Reuters reported exclusively earlier on Friday that the United States and Denmark were close to an agreement to expand the US military presence in Greenland. The reported agreement would fall far short of Trump’s longstanding ambition to bring Greenland under US control.

A 1951 agreement already gives the United States near-complete rights to fly in Greenland’s airspace and use military bases there.

The Danish Prime Minister’s Office said on Friday that the agreement would strengthen security in the North Atlantic and Arctic regions.

Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said in a statement that the agreement recognised Greenland’s interests and the Arctic island’s position in international cooperation.

“It is beneficial for all of us,” Nielsen said.

Several aspects of the agreement remained unclear as of Friday night, including whether it would allow the construction of new US military bases in Greenland.

Imran Bayoumi, a former Pentagon official now affiliated with the Atlantic Council think tank, said it would represent a new development if the United States could construct military bases without approval from Greenland or Denmark.

“Overall, it seems that Washington could have achieved these goals through diplomacy and dialogue without putting additional pressure on the broader US-NATO relationship,” Bayoumi said.

Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark. Residents of the island have expressed aspirations for independence and dissatisfaction with recent US efforts to gain control over Greenland.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said separately that the agreement had resolved Washington’s national security concerns regarding Greenland “permanently and completely”.

“Greenland will forever be part of the strategic defense area of North America, and no adversary will be allowed to enter this area and its surroundings,” Rubio wrote.

A US State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the agreement prohibits non-NATO countries from building military bases in Greenland.

The official said only the United States and its allies would be permitted to make unspecified “sensitive investments” in Greenland. The agreement also grants the United States permanent access to Greenland, including the right to establish military bases and use its airspace, the official said.

The agreement would remain in force even if Greenland becomes independent in the future.