President Donald Trump participated in a trilateral signing ceremony in New York on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, to finalize a security agreement with Denmark and Greenland. The deal establishes a permanent U.S. military presence in Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, and includes provisions intended to block Chinese and Russian influence in the region. The agreement follows a period during which the U.S. administration had discussed potential ownership of the island.
The agreement allows the United States to maintain military basing rights even if Greenland eventually achieves independence from Denmark. A primary feature of the deal is a "right of denial," similar to U.S. compacts with Pacific nations, which allows the U.S., in consultation with Denmark, to prevent adversaries from building military installations or investing in sensitive infrastructure. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen joined Trump for the signing, though the agreement remains subject to national parliamentary procedures in Denmark and Greenland.
Current U.S. military operations in Greenland are centered at Pituffik Space Base, where approximately 150 service members are stationed. The U.S. Space Force operates this facility to support missile defense, missile warning, and space surveillance. Trump stated following the announcement that the U.S. would work to expand its military footprint on the island. Supporters, including U.N. Ambassador Mike Waltz, characterized the deal as a reinforcement of security on the northern flank, while critics, such as former U.S. Ambassador Michael McFaul, described it as a repackaging of long-standing arrangements.
The formal "right of denial" means that projects or investments involving Russian or Chinese entities in sensitive sectors can be blocked by the U.S. and Denmark. The agreement also provides a framework for U.S. military operations to continue even if Greenland changes its political status relative to Denmark.
Experts from the Atlantic Council noted that earlier U.S. rhetoric regarding the island had strained diplomatic relations within the NATO alliance. By securing these rights through a trilateral pact, the administration used a model similar to the "Compact of Free Association." The agreement will not officially enter into force until legislative procedures in the Danish and Greenlandic parliaments are completed. Specific dates for these votes have not been announced.