The United States plans to open two military bases in Greenland as part of a broader deal the two countries will sign on Tuesday, according to a report.
The U.S. will open the bases in Narsarsuaq, an area with a very small population, and Mestersvig, a military outpost currently used by the Danish special forces unit, Sirius Dog Sled Patrol, according to Reuters, citing anonymous sources.
President Donald Trump previously made threats to purchase or annex Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark, citing national security concerns. The president said its mineral wealth and strategic location made it key to protecting the U.S. against potential attacks from Russia and China.
Greenland also occupies a strategic position along transatlantic missile flight paths and hosts early-warning and space-tracking infrastructure tied to U.S. and NATO defense systems.
Greenland, Denmark and other NATO members have repeatedly resisted these demands. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Greenland’s political status was settled and not open to negotiations and called on the U.S. to respect Denmark’s constitutional framework.
The deal, announced last week, is expected to be signed later today and returns the U.S. to a Cold War-era relationship with the Arctic country in terms of its military base presence.
During the Cold War, the U.S. had 17 military installations and more than 10,000 personnel in Greenland.
Today, only Pituffick Space Base and its 150 American military personnel remain.
Trump Address Greenland at UN Assembly
Trump told the United Nations General Assembly during a major address on Tuesday that it will allow the U.S. “to do whatever is necessary to defend the American continent and also Europe and other places.”
“I look forward to working with the wonderful people of Denmark and Greenland. It’s been a great experience, amazing experience, and we’ve really formed a bond,” Trump said.
The administration has not disclosed full terms of the agreement. Trump previously said in a post on Truth Social that the deal came at “no cost to the United States.”
A U.S. State Department official told Reuters that the deal bans non-NATO countries from building bases in Greenland. The source also said that the U.S. will be granted permanent access, basing and overflight rights.
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Friday that “there is a prospect of a good agreement for Greenland, the kingdom of Denmark and the U.S.”
She said the deal was “an agreement that strengthens our common security in the Arctic and the North Atlantic area.”
The deal will “ensure and strengthen” security in Greenland, Denmark, and the U.S.” Greenland’s Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, also said.
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