President Donald Trump has announced a new security agreement with Denmark and Greenland that he says gives the United States permanent control over security matters on the strategically important Arctic island.
Trump described the arrangement as an “Infinite Life” agreement, saying it has no expiration date and comes at no cost to the United States. He said the deal would give Washington the ability to take whatever measures it considers necessary to secure and defend Greenland and the United States.
The agreement follows months of tension after Trump repeatedly called for the United States to acquire Greenland and refused to rule out using force to achieve that objective. The new arrangement, however, does not transfer Greenland’s sovereignty to the United States. Denmark and Greenland have explicitly said the agreement recognises the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland’s right to self-determination.
Under Trump’s description of the agreement, the United States will begin developing a significantly larger military presence in Greenland.
Trump said Washington would work with Greenland’s population on the development and construction of the new military infrastructure. A senior U.S. official said the agreement provides the United States with permanent access, basing and overflight rights on the island.
The United States already operates Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland. The facility plays a role in missile warning, missile defence and space surveillance and has been part of the U.S. military presence on the island since the Cold War.
Trump also said U.S. adversaries would be prevented from establishing military bases or maintaining military forces in Greenland without Washington’s written approval.
A U.S. official said the agreement would prohibit non-NATO countries from establishing military bases in Greenland and would restrict sensitive investments. The measures are aimed particularly at preventing countries such as Russia and China from establishing a strategic foothold on the island.
The exact scope of the restrictions remains unclear because the complete text of the agreement has not yet been released. Despite Trump’s announcement, the agreement is not yet fully in force.
The governments of the United States, Denmark and Greenland are expected to sign the agreement during the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week. Denmark’s government said it will then be subject to the necessary parliamentary procedures in Denmark and Greenland.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the agreement strengthens security in the Arctic and North Atlantic while recognising Denmark’s sovereignty and Greenland’s right to self-determination. Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen likewise said the agreement recognises Greenland’s interests and its place in international cooperation.
The announcement therefore represents a major expansion of the proposed U.S. security role in Greenland, but it does not amount to a transfer of ownership or sovereignty to Washington. The precise legal powers and obligations created by the agreement will become clearer once the full text is signed and released.
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