President Donald Trump signed a security agreement with Denmark and Greenland on Tuesday that will expand the U.S. military presence on the Arctic island and give Washington permanent basing rights.
The agreement allows the United States to establish two new military bases, expand its existing operations and potentially create additional defense areas in Greenland. It also restricts non-NATO countries from establishing a military presence on the island.
Trump signed the agreement alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
“This is tremendous for Europe and for the United States and for everybody,” Trump said before the signing. “And for Greenland, it’s going to be incredible.”
The White House said the agreement gives the United States lasting control over security interests in Greenland, provides permanent basing rights and prevents U.S. adversaries from establishing military bases or making certain sensitive investments without approval. The administration said the agreement comes at no cost to U.S. taxpayers.
Trump announced during his U.N. address that the United States would quickly begin expanding its military presence.
“We will immediately begin the process of developing a large military presence in the appropriate locations. We’ll be building two very major military bases,” Trump said.
The new defense areas will be located at Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland and Mestersvig in the eastern part of the island. The agreement also allows the United States to modernize and expand operations at Pituffik Space Base in northwest Greenland.
Pituffik currently supports missile warning, missile defense and space surveillance missions. About 150 U.S. service members are stationed there, according to U.S. defense officials cited by The Hill.
The agreement also gives Washington the ability to propose additional defense areas and strengthen military facilities. U.S. military aircraft and vessels will receive broad access through Greenland by land, air and sea, including access to territorial waters.
No country outside NATO will be allowed to establish manned or unmanned military installations in Greenland or maintain a persistent military presence unless the parties agree otherwise. The deal also includes restrictions on certain investments involving countries outside NATO, NATO partner nations or the European Union.
Frederiksen said the agreement builds on decades of defense cooperation between Denmark and the United States.
“This day represents a milestone in our longstanding cooperation,” she said. “75 years ago, we entered into an agreement about the defense of Greenland. Today, we are signing an even bigger and better agreement — a deal that can last forever.”
Nielsen said Greenland would remain a close U.S. ally and described the agreement as strengthening the security of all three parties.
“Your security is our security and our security is your security,” Nielsen said.
The agreement does not have an end date and can only be changed by mutual consent. If Greenland eventually becomes independent from Denmark, the deal requires the independent country to remain in NATO and assume Denmark’s obligations under the security arrangement.
The agreement leaves Greenland under Danish sovereignty while significantly expanding Washington’s military access. Trump has repeatedly argued that Greenland is strategically important to the defense of North America amid increased Russian and Chinese activity in the Arctic.