Trump Announces Agreement with Denmark and Greenland on 'Security Control'

President Donald Trump said on Friday that the United States, Denmark, and Greenland have signed an agreement providing for a significant increase in U.S. military presence on the island, preventing U.S. adversaries from establishing their own bases there.

In a post on the Truth Social platform, the U.S. president wrote that no U.S. adversaries would be allowed to make sensitive investments on the island without American approval, and that the agreement does not specify an expiration date.

Trump wrote: "Under my direction, we have worked with representatives of Denmark and Greenland to ensure that the United States will forever have full ability to do whatever is necessary in Greenland to secure and defend Greenland and the United States of America."

Earlier Friday, Reuters reported that the United States and Denmark are nearing an agreement on the self-governing territory, which would lead to increased U.S. military presence—but remains far from Trump’s long-held dream of acquiring the island for the United States.

The United States already has near-complete rights to fly and establish bases in Greenland under the 1951 treaty.

Trump’s announcement Friday suggests he is satisfied with the outcome of negotiations and may not pursue his territorial claims—at least in the near future.

Without going into details, he said the United States will soon deploy a major military presence on the island, which already hosts one base for the U.S. Space Force in its remote northwest region.

Trump wrote: "This is a dream come true for the United States of America."

The scope of the agreement remains unclear. On Friday, the office of Denmark’s Prime Minister said the agreement would strengthen security in the North Atlantic and Arctic regions.

Greenland Prime Minister Jens Frederik Jensen said in a statement that the agreement recognizes Greenland’s interests and the island’s polar status in international cooperation. He added: "This benefits all of us."

Many aspects remained unclear even late Friday, including whether new U.S. military bases would be built as a result of the agreement. Trump’s posts on Truth Social regarding negotiations or agreements often lack context or detail.

"Allowing the United States to build bases without Greenland or Denmark’s consent would be new," said Omar Baimi, former Pentagon official and current researcher at the Atlantic Council. "But it appears Washington could have achieved much of these goals through diplomacy and dialogue without straining broader relations between the U.S. and NATO."

It remains uncertain how the agreement will be received in Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark. Islanders seek independence and have expressed frustration over U.S. attempts to assert dominance.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a separate statement that the agreement "fully and permanently addresses" Washington’s national security concerns regarding the island.

He wrote: "Greenland will forever remain part of North America’s strategic defense zone, and any adversary will be excluded from Greenland and the surrounding region."

A State Department official said the agreement bars non-NATO countries from establishing bases in Greenland and restricts unspecified "sensitive" investments to the United States and its allies only.

He added that the agreement grants the United States permanent rights of access, base establishment, and flight operations, and will remain in effect even if Greenland becomes independent.