ERBIL () - U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States has reached an agreement with Denmark and Greenland that would give Washington what he called "permanent control"over Greenland's security while allowing a major expansion of the American military presence on the strategically important Arctic island.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said the arrangement would give the United States lasting authority over security matters and prevent U.S. adversaries from establishing military bases, deploying forces or making sensitive investments in Greenland without Washington's written approval.
"From now on, no U.S. 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,"Trump wrote.
He described the arrangement as an "Infinite Life"agreement with "no end"and said the United States would immediately begin planning a larger military presence in Greenland. Trump also said the deal would come at "NO COST"to the United States.
Denmark and Greenland, however, have emphasized that the emerging agreement does not transfer sovereignty over the island. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said it recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark as well as Greenlanders' right to self-determination. Her office said the three governments expect to sign the agreement during next week's United Nations General Assembly and that parliamentary procedures in Denmark and Greenland will still be required before it can take effect.
Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the arrangement would strengthen security while recognizing Greenland's interests and role in international cooperation.
Agence France-Presse correspondent Danny Kemp reported that the precise terms remain unclear even as Washington portrays the deal as permanently resolving its security concerns in the Arctic. A State Department official told AFP that the agreement includes mechanisms intended to prevent China and Russia from establishing bases, deploying troops or making certain sensitive investments in Greenland.
Associated Press journalists Aamer Madhani and Ben Finley likewise reported that the pact would expand the U.S. military presence while leaving Greenland within the Kingdom of Denmark, a distinction also reflected in Denmark's public description of the agreement.
From Ownership Dispute to Security Pact
The distinction is significant after months in which Trump repeatedly argued that the United States should acquire Greenland and declined to rule out taking the territory by force.
Trump has framed Greenland as central to American defense because of its Arctic location and repeatedly cited Russia and China as potential strategic threats. Denmark and Greenland rejected the idea that the island was for sale while signaling willingness to discuss expanded security cooperation with Washington.
The United States already operates Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland under a defense relationship dating to 1951. The installation supports missile warning, missile defense and space-surveillance operations for the United States and NATO.
AFP reported that the 1951 defense agreement, updated in 2004, already permits Washington to increase deployments and military installations in Greenland provided Denmark and Greenland are informed in advance.
Several media outlets have reported that Washington wants to establish three additional military bases in southern Greenland, although the supplied reporting does not establish whether those facilities are included in the new agreement.
The announcement marks a sharp change in tone from the confrontation that dominated the issue earlier this year.
In January, Trump said Washington would pursue control of Greenland "whether they like it or not"and warned that the United States could seek its objective "the hard way"if an agreement could not be reached. His comments triggered objections from Denmark and other European allies and heightened tensions inside NATO.
A previous report also documented the wider sensitivity surrounding Trump's Arctic rhetoric after Iceland summoned the U.S. ambassador earlier this month over a map posted by Trump depicting Iceland, Greenland, Canada and other territories beneath the American flag.
The latest agreement appears to move the dispute away from territorial ownership and toward long-term military and security access.
Trump nevertheless described the arrangement in sweeping terms, saying the United States would "FOREVER have the complete ability to do what is necessary in Greenland"and calling the development "a dream come true."
Frederiksen's account places a clear qualification on that description: Greenland remains within the Kingdom of Denmark, and Copenhagen says the agreement preserves sovereignty, territorial integrity and Greenlandic self-determination.
The full scope of the arrangement is expected to become clearer after the agreement is formally signed and the required parliamentary procedures are completed.
