Trump couldn’t get Greenland. So he secured permanent US military rights instead | Here's what the deal is about

US President Donald Trump is moving from his earlier ambition of acquiring Greenland to a security arrangement that would significantly expand the US military footprint on the Arctic island.

Trump is due to meet Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday (September 22) to sign the trilateral agreement.

Reuters reports that the pact is expected to allow the US to establish military facilities at Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland and Mestersvig on the east coast, in addition to the existing Pituffik Space Base.

Quick answers to key questions

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QUESTIONS

The new agreement allows the US to establish military facilities at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig in Greenland, significantly expanding its military footprint on the island.

Greenland is strategically important due to its position between North America and Europe, which aids in monitoring military activities and securing resources as Arctic ice melts.

The deal represents the biggest expansion of US military infrastructure in Greenland since the Cold War, adding two new military sites to the existing Pituffik Space Base.

Denmark asserts that the agreement respects its sovereignty and Greenland's right to self-determination, placing Arctic security under NATO's collective responsibility instead of solely with the US.

Trump claims the agreement grants the US permanent control over Greenland’s security, preventing adversaries from establishing military bases without US approval, although its legal implications remain unclear.

The agreement marks a major shift from Trump's earlier demand for US control of Greenland. But it also leaves important questions unanswered: the full text has not been made public, and it remains unclear whether the arrangement changes the existing 1951 US-Denmark defence framework or creates a new legal structure.

From buying Greenland to controlling its security

Trump's interest in Greenland dates back to his first presidency, when he publicly floated the idea of the US purchasing the territory in 2019.

The issue returned with far greater force after Trump was elected again. In December 2024, he described ownership and control of Greenland as an “absolute necessity”. In January 2025, he refused to rule out military force to obtain the territory, triggering a diplomatic crisis with Denmark and concern among NATO allies.

Greenland's leaders repeatedly rejected the idea of the island becoming part of the United States. Denmark also insisted that Greenland was not for sale.

Negotiations eventually shifted from the question of who owns Greenland to who is responsible for its security.

The result is the agreement now due to be signed.

What is the new Greenland deal about?

The most immediate change is expected to be a substantial expansion of America's military presence.

The US already operates Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland, a strategically important installation that supports missile-warning, space-surveillance and other defence activities.

Under the new arrangement, Washington is expected to gain access to two additional sites:

Narsarsuaq: A former US Cold War airbase in southern Greenland. The US closed the Bluie West One base there in the 1950s, and the local population has since dwindled to only a few dozen.

Mestersvig: An outpost on Greenland's east coast currently used by Denmark's Sirius Dog Sled Patrol, an elite special-forces unit responsible for patrolling the remote Arctic territory.

The expansion would represent the biggest increase in US military infrastructure in Greenland since the Cold War. During that period, Washington maintained 17 installations and more than 10,000 personnel on the island. Today, Pituffik is the principal US military installation, with roughly 150 American personnel.

Trump says 'permanent control'; Denmark says sovereignty remains

One of the biggest uncertainties surrounding the deal is what Trump means by “permanent control”.

Trump has said the agreement gives the United States “permanent control over security, and all other needs, in Greenland.” He has also said US adversaries would not be allowed to establish bases, maintain military forces or make sensitive investments on the island without Washington's approval.

Denmark says deal respects sovereignty

Copenhagen says the agreement respects Danish sovereignty and Greenland's right to self-determination. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen has said Arctic security will be placed under NATO's collective responsibility rather than left solely to the US and Denmark.

Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen has similarly said the arrangement recognises Greenland's interests and its right to self-determination.

The actual legal meaning of the US security commitment therefore remains one of the most important unanswered questions.

Why does Greenland matter so much to the US?

The world's largest island sits between North America and Europe, at the intersection of the Arctic and North Atlantic. Its location gives it strategic importance for monitoring activity across the Arctic and North Atlantic.

The island also has substantial mineral and energy resources, making it increasingly important as Arctic ice retreats and competition for resources and shipping routes intensifies.

For Washington, Greenland's geography also makes it relevant to monitoring potential military activity by Russia and tracking developments in the increasingly contested Arctic.

Russia and China are central to the deal

Trump has repeatedly cited concerns about Russia and China gaining a foothold in Greenland.

The US administration says the agreement will prevent Washington's geopolitical rivals from establishing military bases or deploying troops on the island. It also seeks mechanisms to restrict sensitive investments.

China's growing interest in Arctic resources has particularly concerned US officials.