![The Thule J-site BMEWS station's detection arcs of 200°[1] was a missile warning "fence" created by 4 radars' separate arcs: each AN/FPS-50 created 2 arcs](https://freenewspress.com/media/2026/09/18/pasted-1789782124533.png)
The United States, Denmark and Greenland have reached a new security agreement that could significantly expand the American military presence in Greenland. The deal strengthens U.S. access to the strategically important Arctic island while leaving Greenland under the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark.
President Donald Trump announced the agreement Friday and said it would give the United States long-term military access to Greenland. He also said the agreement would prevent U.S. adversaries from establishing military bases or making certain sensitive investments on the island.
The full agreement has not yet been released. It is expected to be formally signed by representatives from the United States, Denmark and Greenland during the United Nations General Assembly next week. It will then have to go through the necessary parliamentary procedures before taking effect.
Trump said the United States would soon develop a much larger military presence in Greenland. However, it is not yet clear whether the agreement will lead to new American military bases or mainly expand operations at existing facilities. Reuters reported that many details were still unclear Friday night.
The United States already has broad military rights in Greenland under a defense agreement dating back to 1951. That agreement gave the U.S. extensive basing and overflight rights. A later agreement also established the current framework for cooperation between the United States, Denmark and Greenland.
The main American military facility in Greenland is Pituffik Space Base in the northwest part of the island. It was previously known as Thule Air Base. The base supports missile warning systems, space surveillance and military operations in the Arctic. It is also the northernmost installation operated by the U.S. Department of Defense.
Trump said the new agreement has no expiration date. A U.S. State Department official told Reuters that the deal provides permanent U.S. access, basing rights and overflight rights. The official also said the agreement would continue to apply even if Greenland becomes independent from Denmark in the future.
The deal would also prohibit non-NATO countries from establishing military bases in Greenland. It would limit certain investments by countries considered U.S. adversaries. Those provisions are widely viewed as being aimed mainly at Russia and China as competition grows over Arctic shipping routes, resources and military positioning.
Denmark and Greenland have emphasized that the agreement does not transfer ownership or sovereignty over Greenland to the United States.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the agreement would strengthen security in the Arctic and North Atlantic while respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark. She also said the deal recognizes the Greenlandic people's right to self-determination.
Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen also supported the agreement. He said it recognizes Greenland's interests and its role in international cooperation.
"It is to the benefit of us all," Nielsen said in a statement released by the Danish government.
The agreement follows months of tension over Trump's statements about Greenland. Trump repeatedly said the United States needed greater control of the island for national security reasons. He had previously suggested that the United States should acquire Greenland and declined at times to rule out the use of military force. Denmark and Greenland strongly rejected those ideas and repeatedly said Greenland was not for sale.
The new agreement appears to give Washington many of the military and security advantages Trump had sought without changing Greenland's political status.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the agreement permanently addresses U.S. national security concerns involving Greenland. He said Greenland would remain part of the strategic defense area of North America and would be protected from military involvement by U.S. adversaries.
Greenland has become increasingly important as competition in the Arctic grows. The island sits between North America and Europe and is close to important air and sea routes. Its location makes it valuable for missile detection, space surveillance and monitoring military activity across the Arctic.
The region is also receiving more attention because melting sea ice is making some Arctic shipping routes easier to use for longer periods of the year. Russia has a large military presence in the Arctic while China has tried to increase its economic and scientific involvement in the region.
The agreement comes as other countries are also increasing their presence in Greenland. Canada and France opened consulates in Nuuk earlier this year as interest in Arctic security and economic development continued to grow.
The United States has maintained a military presence in Greenland since World War II. Pituffik Space Base remains an important part of the U.S. missile warning network and supports American and NATO operations.
The new agreement could make that presence much larger. However, officials have not yet announced troop numbers, construction plans or the locations of any possible new facilities.
Those details may become clearer after the agreement is signed at the United Nations next week.
For Denmark and Greenland, the deal offers stronger security ties with the United States without giving up sovereignty. For Washington, it provides greater military access in one of the world's most strategically important regions.
The agreement could also reduce some of the tension that developed after Trump's earlier statements about taking control of Greenland. The three governments are now presenting the deal as a security partnership rather than a transfer of territory.