What does the new U.S.-Denmark deal over Greenland entail, after Trump’s takeover threats?

Account subscription benefits alongside Premium Stories, Editorials, Opinions and more. Unlock these with Subscription

U.S. President Donald Trump with Greenland flag in the background. | Photo Credit: The Hindu

The United States, Denmark, and Greenland have reached an agreement that will allow the U.S. to develop a significant military presence in Greenland, while preventing U.S. adversaries from establishing bases on the island, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday (September 18, 2026).

The agreement comes after months of Mr. Trump threatening to take control of the island from Denmark by force.

Denmark and Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, welcomed the agreement and said it would be signed on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week.

In a post on Truth Social , the U.S. President said no U.S. adversary would be able to make sensitive investments on the island without Washington’s approval, adding that the agreement had no expiry date.

“At my direction, we worked with representatives of Denmark and Greenland to guarantee that the United States will FOREVER have the complete ability to do what is necessary in Greenland in order to secure and defend the security of Greenland, and the United States of America,” Mr. Trump wrote. “This is a dream come true for the United States of America,” he added.

The announcement suggests that Mr. Trump may not revive his territorial claims over Greenland, at least in the near future. He said, without elaborating, that the U.S. would soon establish a significant military presence on the island, which already hosts a Space Force base in its remote northwest.

Mr. Trump, however, provided no details on how the agreement would work, and it was not immediately clear whether it was linked to, or substantially different from, the framework he had earlier said was reached following talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

The office of Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the agreement with the U.S. would be signed by the three governments next week during the United Nations General Assembly. However, parliamentary approval is still required from Denmark and Greenland before it can be implemented.

The Prime Minister’s office said the agreement would strengthen security in the North Atlantic and the Arctic.

In a statement, Ms. Frederiksen said “the agreement recognises the sovereignty and territorial integrity” of Greenland and Denmark and upholds both peoples’ right “to self-determination”.

Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the emerging agreement benefited all three governments and “recognises Greenland’s interests and our place in the international cooperation”. He also said the agreement with the United States “strengthens” the territory’s security.

In a separate statement, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the agreement “permanently and completely” addressed Washington’s national security concerns regarding the island. “Greenland will forever be part of the strategic defense area of North America and exclude any adversary from it and the surrounding area,” he wrote.