US‑Denmark pact gives Washington permanent security role in Greenland

On 22 September 2026, President Donald Trump signed a security agreement with Denmark and Greenland on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The pact grants the United States “permanent control over security, and all other needs” in Greenland while confirming the island’s status as a Danish territory .

Key provisions of the agreement

The document allows Washington to modernise and expand the existing Pituffik Space Base in the northwest, and to establish “defence areas” at Narsarsuaq in the south and Mestersvig in the east. It also permits the creation of additional defence zones and the strengthening of military facilities, including “under‑sea access”. No end date is set, and the arrangement would survive any future Greenlandic independence, with the new state remaining in NATO .

Contracts for construction, maintenance or dismantling of bases are to be awarded “to Greenlandic sources to the maximum extent possible”. The deal explicitly bans non‑NATO countries from establishing “its own manned or unmanned military installations” or maintaining a “persistent” presence without consent .

Strategic context

U.S. officials say the accord blocks adversarial investments and military activity by Russia and China. A State Department official told NBC News that the agreement includes screening mechanisms to prevent “sensitive” investments from those nations and bans non‑NATO bases .

Trump announced that the United States would “immediately begin the process of developing a large military presence in the appropriate locations”, including the construction of “two very major military bases” . The existing U.S. footprint on the island has been reduced to roughly 200 personnel at Pituffik, down from thousands during the Cold War .

Reactions from Copenhagen and Nuuk

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the pact “a deal that can last forever”, saying it strengthens security for the United States, Greenland, Denmark and NATO . Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens‑Frederik Nielsen described it as a “win‑win‑win agreement”, stressing that “your security is our security” .

NATO welcomed the arrangement, noting it would help stabilise the Arctic and North Atlantic region . French President Emmanuel Macron also praised the deal for reaffirming Danish sovereignty .

Unpublished details and next steps

The full text of the agreement has not been released. Both BBC and NBC reports say officials described the provisions, but the exact language remains undisclosed . The pact still requires parliamentary approval in Denmark before it can enter into force .