The deal, which is expected to be signed at next week’s United Nations General Assembly, was welcomed by Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland’s Premier Jens‑Frederik Nielsen, who said it would "strengthen our common security in the Arctic and the North Atlantic area" while respecting Greenland’s right to self‑determination.
No text of the agreement has been released, but a U.S. State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, outlined several provisions: the United States would obtain permanent access, basing and overflight rights; it would have unilateral authority to construct additional military facilities without needing approval from Greenland or Denmark; and the pact would ban non‑NATO states from establishing bases or making sensitive investments in Greenland without U.S. written consent.
President Trump, posting on his Truth Social platform, claimed the arrangement came at "no cost to the United States" and would allow the U.S. to do "what is necessary" to secure and defend Greenland, adding that it would prevent any U.S. adversary from maintaining a military presence or making sensitive investments there.
NATO welcomed the agreement, stating it would "help advance security, stability and cooperation in this vital region" and noting that the pact would remain in force even if Greenland were to become independent in the future.
The announcement follows a diplomatic row sparked by Trump’s repeated overtures to purchase or annex Greenland, citing its strategic location for early‑warning missile systems and its mineral wealth. Those remarks provoked strong opposition from Greenlanders, Danes and other NATO members, and prompted a visit by U.S. Vice‑President JD Vance to a U.S. military base in Greenland earlier this year, which Copenhagen and Nuuk described as a provocation.
While Danish media have portrayed the deal as a diplomatic triumph that defuses the crisis, some Greenlandic politicians remain cautious. MP Naaja Nathanielsen welcomed the news but stressed the need to protect Greenland’s right to self‑determination, and former Greenlandic lawmaker Aaja Chemnitz expressed skepticism about the United States’ long‑term intentions.