US to Build Two Military Bases in Greenland Under New Deal

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The United States, Denmark and Greenland have signed a new defence agreement allowing Washington to establish two additional military bases in Greenland while reaffirming Denmark’s sovereignty over the Arctic territory.

US President Donald Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen signed the agreement at the United Nations General Assembly in New York after Trump said the US would “immediately begin the process of developing a large military presence in the appropriate locations”.

The agreement updates and amends a 1951 defence pact between Denmark and the United States and allows Washington to establish additional Defence Areas at Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland and Mestersvig in the east.

The agreement marks a significant change from Trump’s previous calls to acquire or annex Greenland, which triggered tensions with Denmark, Greenland and other European governments.

US to establish two new defence areas

The new pact states that the US “shall be allowed to establish an additional Defence Area at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig”.

Narsarsuaq served as a civilian airport and US military base during the Second World War. It has deep-water access and a large runway that US military engineers recently surveyed, according to US North Command.

Mestersvig is a remote and less-developed outpost that currently supports a Danish naval dog-sled unit.

The agreement does not yet specify the “modalities and technical details” of the two facilities. The three parties must mutually agree on those arrangements, meaning Denmark and Greenland retain approval over the new US security arrangements.

The US already operates Pituffik Space Base in north-western Greenland. Under the new agreement, Washington can “modernise and expand its activities” there.

The pact also states that countries outside Nato cannot establish manned or unmanned military installations in Greenland or maintain a persistent military presence there.

Agreement reaffirms Danish sovereignty

The deal does not transfer any Greenlandic territory to the United States. Instead, it explicitly recognises Denmark’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and Greenland’s right to self-determination.

The agreement therefore represents a departure from Trump’s earlier calls for the US to acquire Greenland, while expanding the American military presence on the island.

The pact must still receive approval from the parliaments of Denmark and Greenland.

Despite more than a year of tensions over Greenland, the signing ceremony in New York featured notably warm exchanges between the three leaders.

“We going to have a tremendous relationship, a secure relationship,” Trump said.

“This is tremendous for Europe and for the United States, for everybody, and for Greenland it’s going to be incredible.”

Frederiksen described the agreement as a “milestone in our long-standing co-operation”.

“Seventy-five years ago we entered into an agreement about the defence of Greenland. Today, we’re signing an even bigger and better agreement — a deal that can last forever,” she said.

The Danish prime minister stressed that the pact respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark as well as Greenland’s right to self-determination.

Greenland calls agreement a win-win-win

Nielsen described the agreement as a “win-win-win” for Greenland, Denmark and the United States.

“For Greenland, it is not only an agreement about us, it is [an] agreement with us,” he said, stressing that the deal takes into account Greenland’s people, rights, livelihoods and development.

“Greenland matters for North American security and for transatlantic security,” Nielsen said, while highlighting Nato’s role in the North Atlantic as the security situation changes.

The agreement also confirms that Greenland would remain within Nato if it eventually gained independence from Denmark.

Trump had pushed to acquire Greenland

The 1951 defence agreement already allowed the United States to deploy as many troops as it wanted to Greenland. Washington currently has more than 100 military personnel permanently stationed at Pituffik.

Trump had spent months calling for the US to purchase or annex Greenland, arguing that the island’s strategic Arctic location and mineral resources made it essential to American national security.

He also linked Greenland to his proposed “Golden Dome” defence system, which aims to protect the United States from missile attacks. The new agreement mentions the project once but contains no concrete proposal for it.

Trump’s earlier rhetoric prompted strong criticism from Greenlanders, Danes and European leaders. A joint statement from European leaders said his comments “undermine transatlantic relations and risk a dangerous downward spiral”.

Nato welcomed the new agreement shortly after the signing, saying it would help advance security, stability and cooperation in the strategically important region.

In Denmark, several political parties have already indicated that they will support the agreement, while Greenland’s leadership has presented the deal as an arrangement that recognises the island’s interests and rights.

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