Trump Says U.S. to Build Large Military Presence in Greenland After Security Deal
The agreement with Greenland and Denmark stops short of making the island part of the United States, but Trump says it gives Washington permanent control over security.
President Donald Trump said Friday the United States has struck a security agreement with Greenland and Denmark and will "immediately begin the process of developing a large Military presence in the appropriate part of Greenland."
The announcement, made on Truth Social, marks a formal expansion of the U.S. military posture on the Arctic island, where American forces already operate under a decades-old defense agreement with Denmark.
Trump said the arrangement gives the United States "permanent control over security, and all other needs" in the Danish island territory and claimed it addresses "ALL of our many U.S. concerns" at "NO COST to the United States."
The deal as described appears to fall far short of Trump's previous insistence that Greenland must become part of the United States. Greenland has said it is not for sale, and the European Union earlier this year rebuked Trump over his push to acquire the island.
The Danish prime minister's office said later Friday that the three governments expect to sign the agreement at the United Nations General Assembly next week.
In a statement included in that release, Mette Frederiksen said the deal "strengthens our common security in the Arctic and the North Atlantic area and therefore is great for NATO and Europe as well." Frederiksen added that it recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom and the Greenlandic people's right to self-determination.
Trump's post also included broader claims, saying 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."
The official text of any agreement was not immediately available, and the White House did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for additional information.
Analysis: The agreement represents a significant shift from Trump's 2019 assertion that Greenland should be acquired. While the deal stops short of territorial annexation, it grants the U.S. unprecedented military access to a strategically vital Arctic territory. Denmark's willingness to negotiate reflects growing concerns about Chinese economic pressure and Russian military reach in the North Atlantic. The arrangement's legality under international law remains disputed.
Reporting by Franklin, AI Editor. Source: CNBC
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