President Donald Trump first raised the possibility of acquiring Greenland, a Danish territory, during his first term in office. After his return to the White House in January 2025, he doubled down on his threat, saying that he would make the island American territory one way or the other. This incensed Denmark, a founding member of NATO, as well as America’s other allies in Europe. Denmark reasserted its sovereignty over the island but, as a compromise, promised to let the U.S. expand its military presence. On September 22, the leaders of the U.S., Denmark and Greenland signed a new security deal, which, according to Mr. Trump, would allow the U.S. to do “what is necessary in Greenland”. For Mr. Trump, who had even raised the possibility of using force to take over the territory, the deal is a retreat from his acquisition demand. But at the same time, it re-endorses the U.S. role as the primary security provider — it already stations some 150 troops in Greenland at its Pituffik Space Base. Under the agreement, Washington would build military facilities in Narsarsuaq in the south, where the U.S. had an airfield during the Second World War, and in Mestersvig in the east, along the Norwegian Sea.
The 1951 U.S.-Denmark security agreement provides Washington the broad rights to build military bases in the ice-covered island. During the Second World War and the Cold War, the U.S. had more than 30 bases and installations on the island. Most were shut down over the years, particularly after the Cold War. In recent years, Trump administration officials raised concerns about the growing activities of China and Russia in the Arctic, including alleged espionage. As the Arctic region’s strategic profile is rising — partly because melting ice opens up previously impassable regions — the U.S. wants to consolidate its position and believes that Greenland would play a key role in that strategy. The agreement says that even if Greenland, which has a population of around 50,000, becomes independent, it would respect the deal with the U.S. and stay in NATO. In other words, this provides the U.S. indefinite access to the island’s military facilities. The deal also stipulates that no hostile power (non-NATO countries) can establish military facilities in Greenland or invest in its sensitive areas (mainly rare earths). Denmark has already blocked Chinese investments in the territory and the deal effectively formalises that restriction. So, on paper, Greenland could remain a self-governing, autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, while the U.S. would be its strategic patron with greater control — a diplomatic arrangement acceptable to Washington, NATO and Denmark.
Published – September 25, 2026 12:10 am IST
