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WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Friday that he had struck a deal with Denmark to give Washington \u201cpermanent control\u201d over Greenland\u2019s security, including measures aimed at preventing Russia and China from establishing military or commercial footholds in the strategically important Arctic territory.<\/p>\n
Since returning to the White House in January 2025, Trump has repeatedly insisted that Washington needs control of Greenland for strategic reasons, alarming NATO ally Denmark and sparking fierce pushback from the alliance.<\/p>\n
Trump said the agreement would give the United States permanent control over \u201csecurity, and all other needs\u201d in Greenland and would allow Washington to immediately begin developing a larger military presence there.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom now on, no US adversary can EVER have a base in Greenland, have a military presence in Greenland, or make sensitive investments in Greenland, without our express written approval,\u201d Trump said on his Truth Social network.<\/p>\n
The 80-year-old president described the agreement as an \u201c\u2018Infinite Life\u2019 Agreement\u201d with \u201cno end.\u201d<\/p>\n
The office of Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the three governments would sign the agreement next week on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.<\/p>\n
However, Denmark said parliamentary action would still be required in Denmark and Greenland before the agreement could take effect.<\/p>\n
Frederiksen said the agreement recognized \u201cthe sovereignty and territorial integrity\u201d of Greenland and Denmark and upheld their right to self-determination.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am pleased that there is a prospect of a good agreement for Greenland, the Kingdom of Denmark and the United States,\u201d she said, adding that it was good for NATO and Europe.<\/p>\n
Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the emerging agreement strengthened the territory\u2019s security and recognized \u201cGreenland\u2019s interests and our place in the international cooperation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Blocking Russia and China<\/strong><\/p>\n A State Department official said the agreement would prohibit non-NATO bases in Greenland and establish mechanisms to prevent Russia and China from deploying troops or establishing bases or making sensitive investments there.<\/p>\n \u201cThis agreement guarantees that China and Russia cannot have a base in Greenland, they cannot send troops to Greenland, and the necessary mechanisms are in place to prevent investment in sensitive sectors,\u201d the official said.<\/p>\n Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the announcement as a \u201chistoric deal\u201d and a \u201chuge win\u201d for the United States.<\/p>\n \u201cGreenland will forever be part of the strategic defense area of North America and exclude any adversary from it and the surrounding area,\u201d Rubio said, adding that the agreement \u201cpermanently and completely addresses\u201d US national security concerns in Greenland.<\/p>\n Trump has repeatedly cited increased Russian and Chinese activity in the Arctic as a reason Washington needs greater control over Greenland, whose location between North America and Europe gives it major strategic importance. Its mineral resources have also increased its geopolitical significance.<\/p>\n Details remain unclear<\/strong><\/p>\n Trump gave few details about how the agreement would operate, and it was not immediately clear whether it was linked to or substantially different from an understanding he announced with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January.<\/p>\n Several media outlets have reported that Washington wants to establish three additional military bases in southern Greenland, alongside the US base at Pituffik in the north.<\/p>\n A 1951 US-Danish defense agreement, updated in 2004, already permits Washington to increase troop deployments and military installations on Greenland, provided it notifies Denmark and Greenland in advance.<\/p>\n Despite their opposition to Trump\u2019s demands for control of Greenland, Danish officials have repeatedly said they were prepared to work with Washington to expand the US military presence and strengthen American commercial interests on the island.<\/p>\n NATO tensions<\/strong><\/p>\n Trump\u2019s push for Greenland has nevertheless strained relations with Denmark and other European allies.<\/p>\n After returning to office, Trump called on Denmark to sell Greenland to the United States and repeatedly refused to rule out using military force to take the territory, which has about 57,000 inhabitants and is an autonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark.<\/p>\n Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly said Greenland is not for sale and objected to reports of US intelligence-gathering activities on the island. Russia and much of Europe have also opposed the US campaign for greater control of the territory.<\/p>\n The confrontation rattled NATO and was seen in Denmark and other European capitals as a challenge to their sovereignty, said Imran Bayoumi, an associate director at the Atlantic Council\u2019s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security.<\/p>\n \u201cI think Americans really underestimate how damaging it was for the image of the United States in Europe,\u201d he said. \u201cI think Greenlanders, Danes, Europeans saw this as a real attack on their sovereignty, and it\u2019s going to take a lot of work to repair.\u201d<\/p>\n Tensions have eased somewhat since the height of the dispute. In an apparent effort to address Washington\u2019s security concerns, NATO launched a new mission to bolster security in the Arctic.<\/p>\n Denmark\u2019s Frederiksen said earlier this week that she was \u201coptimistic\u201d that discussions with Washington and Greenland, which had continued since January, could resolve the dispute.<\/p>\n Trump said Friday that the United States looked forward to working with Denmark and Greenland toward \u201ca magnificent future\u201d involving the \u201clarge, and highly strategic\u201d territory, adding: \u201cWe will be very protective of it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2022 With AFP and AP<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n