Explained: How Trump's Greenland Deal Gives US Heft, Affects Russia, China

After months of diplomatic pressure, trade tariff threats, and statements regarding annexation, US President Donald Trump on Saturday said that the United States has struck a deal with Denmark which gives Washington "permanent control" over security and would bar China and Russia from having a military presence in the Arctic territory.

"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 on Truth Social.

"Additionally, from now on, no U.S. adversary can EVER have a base in Greenland, have a military presence in Greenland, or make sensitive investments in Greenland, without our express written approval", he added.

What Is In The Deal?

Trump claimed that what the two countries will sign during next week's United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York, is an "infinite life" agreement and that the US will immediately start developing a large military presence in Greenland.

A US State Department official cited by the BBC said that the deal would be in force even if Greenland were to become independent in the future.

The 80-year-old Republican leader has repeatedly insisted that the US needed to control Greenland for strategic reasons and that only the US could protect Greenland.

Trump's initial effort to acquire the territory occurred in 2019 during his first term, an offer that was quickly rebuffed with the message that the island was not for sale.

"This agreement guarantees that China and Russia cannot have a base in Greenland, they cannot send troops to Greenland, and the necessary mechanisms are in place to prevent investment in sensitive sectors," a US State Department official told news agency AFP.

The United States wants to open three new military bases in southern Greenland, in addition to the Pituffik base it already has in the north of the territory. However, a 1951 defence pact in 2004 already allowed Washington to increase troop presence and military installations on the island after informing Denmark and Greenland in advance.

So, Why Did Trump Want Greenland In The First Place?

First, the prime location of the world's largest island, between North America and the Arctic makes it important for warning systems in the event of a missile attack. Its location serves as the shortest ballistic missile path between Russia and the US.

Second, Greenland holds massive, untouched deposits of rare earth minerals which are critical for manufacturing advanced consumer tech and military hardware. Gaining access allows the US to directly challenge China's current dominance in the global critical minerals market.

Now that China has launched the first regular commercial container shipping service through the Arctic, the Trump administration seeks permanent security control specifically to block geopolitical adversaries from establishing military bases or making sensitive infrastructure investments on the island.

The newly-brokered deal grants the US permanent control over security and expansion rights for its military footprint, rather than a full territorial purchase or outright annexation, which Danish and Greenlandic leaders firmly rejected as a violation of international law.

Denmark PM Endorses Greenland Security Deal

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen had said Monday that she was "optimistic" that ongoing discussions with the United States and Greenland since January could resolve the dispute.

On Friday, she said she was "pleased that there is a prospect of a good agreement for Greenland, the Kingdom of Denmark and the United States," adding that it was "good for NATO and Europe."

She said that the agreement "recognises the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom and the Greenlandic people's right to self-determination".

Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the deal with the United States "strengthens" the territory's security.