Denmark has granted the United States permanent control over Greenland’s security, President Donald Trump has claimed.
Securing greater control of the strategically important Arctic territory has been a central goal of Trump’s second term. In a Truth Social post on Friday, he said those efforts had produced an agreement.
Trump said the US had reached a deal with Denmark that gives Washington “permanent control over security, and all other needs, in Greenland,” which he said would address “ALL” of America’s concerns.
“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,” Trump wrote. He described the arrangement as an “infinite life” agreement.
The president also claimed that no US adversary would be allowed to establish a base or military presence in Greenland, or make sensitive investments there, without explicit written approval from Washington.
Trump said the US would “immediately begin” developing a substantial military presence in a suitable area of Greenland, adding that American officials would work with Greenlanders during the development and construction process.
He insisted the expanded US military presence in Greenland would come at no cost to the United States. A senior official told Fox News that the agreement would remain in force even if Greenland were ever to become an independent nation.
“This solution is a great one for the United States of America, Denmark, Greenland, and all of our Allies,” Trump wrote.
President Donald Trump announced on Friday that the US had secured “permanent control” over security and other needs in Greenland.
Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance visited a US military base in Greenland in March last year, as Trump pressed his campaign to acquire the island.
Trump has framed his push to acquire the island as a national security imperative
‘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,’ the president continued. ‘We will be very protective of it!’
‘This is a dream come true for the United States of America, one that is very important, historic, and special,’ he concluded.
Under the deal, Denmark and Greenland would no longer have to approve any new US military installations on the island, according to Fox News.
But the deal only allows the US and its allies to make ‘sensitive investments’ on the territory, including telecommunications infrastructure, undersea capabilities, ports and critical minerals.
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The deal also falls short of ceding control of the territory to the US.
The announcement comes after months of closed-door negotiations between US, Danish and Greenland officials that focused on allowing American troops to stay on the island indefinitely, cooperation on extracting the island’s rich natural resources like rare earths and oil and the possible re-opening of a Second World War-era US military base on the southern coast.
Trump has framed his push to acquire the island as a national security imperative, citing Greenland’s strategic position in the Arctic and China’s and Russia’s ambitions to expand their presence in the region.
Northern Command boss General Gregory M Guillot has noted how Greenland could host part of an array of radar stations in the Arctic that includes outposts in Alaska and Canada.
He has also said that the US seeks a deepwater port and a base for US special forces on the island.
Trump first floated the idea of bringing Greenland into the US sphere of influence during his first term in 2019.
Since returning to the office, he has repeatedly doubled down on that.
Yet
Secretary of State Marco Rubio commended the president for reaching the agreement.
‘This historic deal is a huge win for the United States and the American people,’ he said in a statement to Fox News.
‘Thanks to President Trump’s vision and leadership, this historic agreement permanently guarantees US security interests in the Arctic at zero cost to the US taxpayer,’ Rubio noted. ‘Greenland will forever be part of the strategic defense area of North America and exclude any adversaries from it and the surrounding area.’
‘This deal permanently and completely addresses our national security concerns in Greenland,’ he added.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.