President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the United States will establish two new military bases in Greenland, dramatically expanding Washington's military footprint on the Arctic island and cementing a security pact with Denmark that had been strained by months of tensions.
Speaking at the United Nations, Trump said, "We will immediately begin the process of developing a large military presence in the appropriate locations. We'll be building two very major military bases." The announcement came as the US, Denmark, and Greenland formally signed a 10-page agreement that also prohibits China and Russia from establishing any military presence or making "sensitive" investments on the island without US approval.
According to the agreement, the US will reopen a base at Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland and construct another at Mestersvig on the island's eastern coast. These sites add to the existing Pituffik Space Base in the northwest, which currently hosts about 150 US service members and supports missile defense, missile warning, and space surveillance missions. The deal explicitly allows the US to "modernize and expand its activities" at Pituffik and to establish additional bases or strengthen operations elsewhere in Greenland.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen hailed the agreement as "good" for all parties and said it "can last forever." She added, "Mr. President, you have been very clear. You don't want adversaries to come too close. I fully agree, and with this deal, they are not. We are making sure that they will not be allowed to get any control or significant influence in Greenland, and we are making sure that more allies are present in the Arctic at the same time."
The pact follows months of heightened friction after Trump repeatedly floated the idea of acquiring Greenland, even hinting at the use of force. In January, several NATO allies—including Germany, Sweden, France, Norway, the Netherlands, and Finland—sent military personnel to the island in an unprecedented show of solidarity with Greenlanders, officially as part of exercises.
Trump framed the move as part of a long history of US interest in Greenland, saying, "You go back way back in the line of presidents, and almost every president at least mentioned it. But most of them just mentioned it. Some really wanted to make a deal, and never got done. But we're getting it done."
The agreement also establishes a fast-track approval process for US requests to set up unmanned military installations outside existing bases, with Denmark and Greenland committing to accelerated governmental review. This could further expand the US presence in the Arctic, a region increasingly contested by Russia and China.
The deal marks a significant shift in US-Danish relations, which had been strained by Trump's earlier threats. For more on Trump's recent foreign policy moves, see his UN address on Iran. The expansion also comes as the president faces scrutiny over his interactions with the press, as highlighted in his clash with a CNN reporter.
With this agreement, the US solidifies its strategic position in the Arctic, a region vital for both missile defense and future shipping routes. The new bases will likely enhance monitoring capabilities and serve as a deterrent to any potential adversary activity in the high north.
