GUWAHATI: US President Donald Trump on Friday, September 18, announced that the United States, Denmark and Greenland had reached an agreement that would allow Washington to significantly expand its military presence on the Arctic island while preventing countries considered US adversaries from establishing bases there.
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Trump said the agreement would give the United States “permanent control” over Greenland’s security and permanent access to the territory for defence and security purposes. He also said adversaries would be barred from establishing military bases, maintaining a military presence or making sensitive investments in Greenland without US approval.
“From now on, no US 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,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Trump described the arrangement as an “‘Infinite Life’ Agreement” and said the United States would immediately begin building up a large military presence in Greenland. He said the agreement would ensure that Washington had the ability to take necessary measures to defend Greenland and US security interests.
The announcement comes after Trump repeatedly insisted since returning to the White House in January 2025 that the United States needed control of Greenland for strategic and national security reasons. His push had caused tensions with Denmark, a NATO ally, and drawn strong opposition from Greenland and other European allies.
The latest agreement, however, does not transfer Greenland's sovereignty to the United States. Denmark and Greenland have said the arrangement recognises the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark as well as the right of Greenlanders to self-determination.
Denmark and Greenland said the agreement is expected to be formally signed next week and will require parliamentary approval in both Copenhagen and Nuuk before taking effect.
The Danish prime minister's office said the agreement would strengthen security in the North Atlantic and Arctic regions, while Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said it would strengthen the territory's security.
Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, has its own aspirations for greater independence. The island's strategic location in the Arctic and its existing US military facilities have made it an important focus of Washington's security policy.
Trump has repeatedly cited concerns about Russia and China gaining a strategic foothold in the Arctic. The new agreement seeks to prevent such military or sensitive economic activity while giving the United States broader and potentially permanent access for defence purposes. However, details of the agreement remain limited and its final terms will depend on the formal pact and parliamentary approvals.