Denmark Says Greenland Security Pact Benefits All Parties

The security agreement signed by the United States, Denmark, and Greenland last week "strengthens the defense of Greenland, the NATO area, and the American continent," Denmark’s U.N. ambassador, Christina Lassen, stated Monday at the U.N.’s annual gathering of world leaders. She added that the agreement is "good for Greenland, for Denmark, for the United States, for NATO and Europe, and for international peace and security."

The pact is intended to enhance NATO security in the Arctic and North Atlantic. It affirms Greenland's status as part of Denmark, while also addressing concerns raised by President Donald Trump's past assertions of interest in acquiring the island territory. The agreement remains applicable even if Greenland eventually opts for independence.

Trump first expressed his desire to acquire Greenland in 2019. During his current term, he indicated intentions to acquire the semiautonomous territory from Denmark, a NATO ally, to prevent Russia or China from doing the same. He also suggested a preference for a deal for the mineral-rich territory.

Trump’s past proposals regarding Greenland had strained relations within NATO. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen had warned that a U.S. takeover would signal the end of the Atlantic alliance. The prospect also unsettled many of Greenland's approximately 56,000 residents, who expressed concerns about a potential U.S. takeover and resource exploitation.

Officials from the U.S., Greenland, and Denmark engaged in months of behind-the-scenes negotiations to address some of Trump's security concerns related to the island. The president subsequently approved the deal.

Shortly before the agreement's signing last Tuesday at the U.N., Trump remarked, "This is tremendous for Europe and for the United States and for everybody. And for Greenland, it’s going to be incredible." He did not address questions about whether the U.S. acquisition of Greenland was off the table.

The United States has maintained a military presence in Greenland since 1945, following the end of World War II. However, the number of personnel has decreased significantly from thousands of soldiers across 17 bases to approximately 200 soldiers currently stationed at the remote Pituffik Space Base in the northwest. This base supports U.S. and NATO operations for missile warning, missile defense, and space surveillance.

In remarks to world leaders at the General Assembly just before the signing, Trump announced that the U.S. would "immediately begin the process of developing a large military presence in the appropriate locations," including the construction of "two very major military bases."