President Donald Trump is set to sign a new security agreement with the leaders of Denmark and Greenland in New York on Tuesday, expanding the U.S. military presence on the strategically important Arctic island.
The agreement will be formalized during Trump’s visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen are expected to join Trump for the signing ceremony.
The White House said the agreement is intended to strengthen the security of both Greenland and the United States.
Trump announced the deal last week, describing it as giving Washington permanent authority to take measures it considers necessary for U.S. and Greenlandic security. Denmark, however, has emphasized that the agreement does not transfer sovereignty over Greenland to the United States and respects Greenlanders’ right to self-determination.
The agreement is expected to significantly expand the U.S. military footprint in Greenland. Reuters reported that the United States plans to establish military operations at two additional locations — Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland and Mestersvig on the east coast — alongside its existing presence at Pituffik Space Base.
The deal also seeks to restrict potentially sensitive investments by countries considered security threats by the United States and its allies. The Trump administration has argued that stronger safeguards are necessary to prevent strategic competitors from gaining influence in Greenland.
The agreement follows months of diplomatic tension after Trump repeatedly expressed interest in acquiring Greenland and earlier declined to rule out military or economic pressure. Greenland and Denmark rejected any transfer of the territory, while European officials raised concerns about the impact of the dispute on relations within NATO.
Greenland is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark and occupies a strategically important position in the Arctic. The United States has maintained a military presence there for decades under longstanding defense agreements with Denmark.
The new agreement represents an expansion of that security relationship without transferring ownership of Greenland to the United States, as Washington and its NATO allies seek to strengthen their military posture in the Arctic.
