WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump says Washington has reached an agreement with Denmark that gives the United States “permanent control over security” in Greenland and will pave the way for a major expansion of the American military presence on the Arctic island.
Trump announced the development on Friday, September 18, 2026, in a post on Truth Socia l, saying the United States would immediately begin preparations to establish a “large military presence”in an appropriate part of Greenland.
He described the agreement as a major and historic development for the United States, saying Greenland remained critical to American national security.
“This is a dream come true for the United States of America, one that is very important, historic, and special,” Trump said.
Trump said the United States would begin the process of developing a significant military presence in Greenland under the new arrangement.
The announcement follows Trump’s repeated calls for the United States to gain control of Greenland, which he has described as strategically important to American security.
The US already maintains a military presence on the island, including the Pituffik Space Base, which supports American missile-warning and space-surveillance operations.
Trump’s latest announcement, however, appears to focus on expanding Washington’s security and military access rather than announcing a transfer of Greenlandic sovereignty to the United States.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Denmark and Greenland expect to sign an agreement with the United States next week aimed at strengthening security in the Arctic and North Atlantic regions.
Frederiksen said the proposed agreement recognises “the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the kingdom” as well as the right of the Greenlandic people to self-determination.
She also said the arrangement would strengthen security for Denmark, Greenland and their allies, including NATO.
The agreement will require parliamentary action in Denmark and Greenland before it can be implemented.
Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen also welcomed the proposed arrangement.
Nielsen said the agreement would help ensure and strengthen the security of Greenland, Denmark, the United States and the wider Western alliance.
His comments indicate that Greenland’s government views the proposed deal primarily through the lens of security cooperation rather than a transfer of sovereignty.
Greenland and Denmark have previously maintained that the island is not for sale, despite Trump’s earlier efforts to acquire the territory.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the agreement permanently and completely addresses Washington’s national security concerns regarding Greenland.
Rubio said Greenland would remain part of the strategic defence area of North America and that potential adversaries would be excluded from the island and surrounding areas.
The comments point to Washington’s concerns about the possibility of rival powers, particularly China and Russia, gaining greater military or strategic influence in Greenland and the wider Arctic region.
Greenland occupies a strategically important position between North America and Europe and has become increasingly significant in Arctic security discussions.
Its location provides access to the Arctic and North Atlantic and makes it important for missile-warning systems, military surveillance and broader NATO defence planning.
US officials have also expressed concerns about Chinese economic influence in Greenland and the potential for strategic infrastructure or investments by countries viewed by Washington as security competitors.
Trump’s announcement therefore comes against a wider backdrop of growing geopolitical competition in the Arctic.
Despite Trump’s description of permanent control over security, the proposed agreement does not, based on the statements released so far, transfer Greenland’s sovereignty to the United States
Denmark remains sovereign over Greenland, while the territory has extensive self-government and its people retain the right to determine their political future.
The precise legal meaning and scope of the security arrangements will become clearer once the full agreement is published and goes through the required parliamentary processes.
For now, the development represents a significant shift in US-Danish-Greenlandic security cooperation, while leaving the question of Greenland’s sovereignty unchanged.
RapidoSpace News will continue to monitor the agreement and provide updates as Denmark, Greenland and the United States release further details.
