President Donald Trump, Denmark, and Greenland signed a major security agreement on September 22, 2026, granting the United States permanent control over security operations, establishing new military bases, and implementing strict investment screening mechanisms to bar non-NATO adversaries from the region.
1951 US-Denmark Defense of Greenland Agreement
The agreement updates the 1951 US-Denmark Defense of Greenland Agreement, which had last seen amendment in 2004. While the original Cold War-era framework provided the United States with basing rights primarily at Thule Air Base—now designated as Pituffik Space Base—the new accord significantly broadens operational reach across the world’s largest island.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the arrangement as a historic pact that comes at zero cost to US taxpayers. The formal signing took place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, following months of diplomatic friction sparked by earlier demands from the White House.
President Trump has locked down what he’s calling an “Infinite Life” Agreement with Denmark and Greenland, granting the United States permanent control over security operations on the world’s largest island. The deal, announced on September 18, represents an expansion of US military positioning in the Arctic. Secretary of State Marco Rubio described it as a “historic deal” that comes at zero cost to US taxpayers.
It's going to be a long-term, fantastic relationship,
Trump said at the signing ceremony. Trump said the agreement would give the United States permanent control over security and all other needs
in Greenland. No US adversary will ever be permitted to establish a military presence in Greenland any more, or make sensitive investments there without our express written approval,
Trump said in his UN speech before the signing.
New Bases, Air Rights, and Missile Defense Architecture
Pituffik Space Base
Under the terms of the security agreement, the United States secures authorization to establish military bases at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig. Washington will concurrently modernize and expand operations at the Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland, with provisions permitting US aircraft to fly over and land in any territory across the island, including its territorial waters. Trump had earlier said the US would begin developing a large military presence
in Greenland, including building two very major military bases.
The pact also clears the way for the United States to establish its Golden Dome defence system in Greenland. This addition grants Washington an expanded role in local air and missile defense architecture, driven by mounting strategic focus on the Arctic and North Atlantic corridors. The pact also says that no state that is not a NATO member will be allowed to establish its own manned or unmanned military installations in Greenland.
Donald Trump, US President
Sovereignty, Self-Determination, and the NATO Framework
Despite the expansion of American military access, the island remains under Danish sovereignty. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen noted that the agreement strengthens Arctic security within the NATO framework, while Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen confirmed that the accord respects Danish control and preserves Greenlandic self-determination.
The self-determination clause holds particular weight for Greenland’s 57,000 residents, who have pursued gradual autonomy since gaining self-governance in 2009. The new pact stipulates that if Greenland exercises its right to full independence, Copenhagen and Nuuk must ensure that the new state agrees to remain in NATO by applying for membership and honoring the defense agreement. If Greenland exercises its right to become independent, Denmark and Greenland must work together to ensure that the independent Greenlandic state agrees to remain in NATO, including by applying to become a member of the alliance.
Blocking Foreign Investment in Critical Minerals
Beyond direct military positioning, the framework introduces stringent investment screening mechanisms designed to target adversarial nations in sensitive sectors, particularly critical minerals. Investors from countries outside NATO and the European Union face bars from these sensitive industries, addressing potential security threats and espionage.
These screening provisions aim directly at foreign maneuvers in rare earth mining. Greenland’s rare earth deposits rank among the largest outside China, which currently commands global production. By restricting foreign stakes and barring non-NATO states from establishing manned or unmanned installations, the agreement closes off a key strategic vulnerability in the North Atlantic.
Parliamentary Hurdles and Regional Divergence
Kingdom of Denmark
The agreement is subject to necessary parliamentary procedures within the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland before taking full effect. Even as the deal moved toward finalization, debate divided political observers across Scandinavia.
In Denmark, the parliamentary approval process follows a broader pattern across the Nordic region, where neighbors Finland, Sweden, and Norway have already signed bilateral Defense Cooperation Agreements. While domestic critics such as European Parliament member Per Clausen called the pact a terrible mistake and argued that Copenhagen should distance itself from Washington, military analysts suggest geopolitical realities left little room for alternatives.
Peter Viggo Jakobsen, Royal Danish Defense College military analyst
Jakobsen noted that Denmark relies on US air support and deterrence capabilities for its military deployments along the Russian border, rendering public protests or resistance pointless in the face of broader defense dependencies.