Donald Trump announced this Friday that the United States has reached an agreement with the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland that grants Washington permanent control over security and "all other needs" on the Arctic island, which the president described as a pact of unlimited duration and at no cost to the country.
The president published the announcement on his social media Truth Social, describing the agreement as "a dream come true for the United States of America, one that is very important, historic, and special."
According to Trump, the agreement ensures that no adversary of the U.S. will ever be able to establish a military base, maintain armed presence, or make sensitive investments in Greenland "without our express written approval," a clause explicitly aimed at China and Russia.
The official also announced that Washington will immediately begin the process of developing "a significant military presence in the appropriate parts of Greenland," and described the pact as an "Agreement of Infinite Life," with no expiration date.
"For more than 100 years, presidents have recognized the strategic importance of Greenland, but none have been able to do anything about it. I am proud to be the president who has addressed this situation in a permanent and definitive way," Trump wrote.
Shortly after the announcement, the Greenlandic government confirmed the agreement in a statement published on X, although with a more measured tone.
The text states that "Greenland, Denmark, and the United States are expected to sign an agreement next week that will enhance security in the Arctic and the North Atlantic region," in the context of the UN General Assembly in New York, and that "once signed, it will need to go through the necessary parliamentary procedures for it to take effect."
The Greenlandic Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, celebrated the agreement by stating that it "acknowledges the interests" of the island and its "role in international cooperation," and added: "It will benefit us all."
The Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, used language that was notably more cautious than Trump's.
"I am pleased that there is the prospect of a good agreement for Greenland, the Kingdom of Denmark, and the United States," he stated, emphasizing that the pact must "recognize the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom, as well as the right of the Greenlandic people to self-determination."
The announcement comes after nearly a year of intense diplomatic pressure. In January 2026, Trump threatened with 25% tariffs on eight European countries as leverage to force an agreement on Greenland, which triggered a transatlantic crisis and caused thousands of Greenlanders to take to the streets in protest against Washington's demands.
During that same period, Denmark reinforced its military presence on the island with aircraft, ships, and soldiers, and both Copenhagen and Nuuk insisted that sovereignty was non-negotiable. In January, Trump announced in Davos a preliminary framework agreement with NATO regarding Greenland and the Arctic, although without public details.
The U.S. already has a permanent presence on the island through the Pituffik Space Base, and the 1951 bilateral defense agreement with Denmark allowed for the expansion of troops and facilities with prior notification.
The formal signing of the new agreement is scheduled for next week during the UN General Assembly in New York, after which it will need to pass the necessary parliamentary procedures before coming into effect.
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