Trump to make deal with Denmark to build US military presence in Greenland

Trump with the announcement Friday suggested an understanding may have been reached that could bring an end to what was viewed as an existential crisis by Denmark (Photo:PTI)

President Donald Trump announced Friday he has a deal with Denmark to bolster the US military presence in Greenland after months of threatening to take the island by force from the NATO ally - an agreement that also keeps the Arctic territory in Denmark's hands.

Trump in a social media post announcing the deal said the agreement "gives the United States permanent control over security, and all other needs, in Greenland, completely addressing ALL of our many US concerns." He added that with the agreement his administration would "immediately" begin the process of developing a larger military presence on the mineral-rich Danish territory.

The office of Denmark's prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, said the deal will be signed by all three governments next week during the United Nations General Assembly, but parliamentary action is still needed by the Danish and Greenland governments before it can be enforced.

In a statement she said "the agreement recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity" of Greenland and Denmark and upholds both people's right "to self-determination." Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the emerging deal benefits all three governments and "recognizes Greenland's interests and our place in the international cooperation." Allies pushed back on Trump's call for the US to acquire Greenland With his return to the White House last year, Trump called on Denmark to sell the island to the United States, while insisting Greenland is crucial for US security. He pointedly wouldn't rule out taking the island by military force, even though Denmark is a NATO ally of the US Denmark and Greenland repeatedly said the island is not for sale and condemned reports of the US gathering intelligence there. The US push for Greenland was also fiercely opposed by Russia and much of Europe.

But Trump with the announcement Friday suggested an understanding may have been reached that could bring an end to what was viewed as an existential crisis by Denmark.

"We look forward to working with the wonderful people of Denmark and Greenland toward a magnificent future with respect to this large, and highly strategic, parcel of land," Trump said in his post. "We will be very protective of it!" Trump had claimed the US needs Greenland to deter threats from Russia and China, and has repeatedly made false claims of Chinese and Russian military forces lurking off the island's coastline.

The agreement bans any non-NATO base in Greenland, limits adversaries from being able to make investments in Greenland and guarantees that China and Russia cannot have a base in Greenland, according to a State Department official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio cheered the statement as a "historic deal" and "huge win" for the United States.

"Greenland will forever be part of the strategic defence area of North America and exclude any adversary from it and the surrounding area," Rubio said.