President Donald Trump said the United States and Denmark have struck a security agreement covering Greenland that would bar U.S. adversaries from establishing bases or military presences there, the deal he announced on Truth Social and in public remarks on Sept. 18, 2026. The post used the phrase “permanent control over Greenland’s security,” and Trump tied the agreement to stepped-up U.S. deployments.
Trump framed the move around national security and said the arrangement would prevent rivals from stationing forces in Greenland, according to reporting by Reuters that described the agreement as one that “will prohibit US adversaries from establishing bases.” Reuters also reported that Danish officials characterized the pact as strengthening regional security.
Multiple outlets reported Trump said the U.S. would “immediately begin the process of developing a large Military presence” on Greenland, a line cited by CNBC’s coverage of his public remarks. France24 and the Financial Times noted the agreement includes language to exclude non-NATO powers from basing in Greenland and to limit foreign investments that could have security implications.
The announcement followed months of public emphasis by Trump on Greenland’s strategic role; his comments on the issue have repeatedly referenced preventing China or Russia from gaining influence. Coverage in the Financial Times and France24 quoted the administration’s framing that Greenland would be part of North America’s strategic defense area under the new terms.
How the agreement will work in practice — whether it is a formal treaty, a memorandum, or a narrower security arrangement with operational clauses — was not publicly released in full in initial reports. Reuters said U.S. and Danish sources described the pact as giving the United States greater security control; other outlets noted Denmark called it a way to strengthen regional cooperation rather than cede sovereignty.
Analysts and diplomats quoted in coverage stressed implementation details will matter. France24 reported that the deal bans any non-NATO bases and sets limits on foreign investments that might allow an adversary footprint, while Reuters and CNBC flagged that the U.S. plans to expand its presence in the coming months.
The announcement revived questions about Greenland that have followed Trump since his earlier public comments about the island; readers can find related coverage of his Greenland remarks and map posts in the site’s archive. For more on Trump and Greenland context, see Trump shares map with US flag over Canada, Greenland, Mexico and Iceland summons US ambassador over Trump’s map.
Sources
- Reuters — reported the U.S.-Denmark deal would “prohibit US adversaries from establishing bases” and cited U.S. and Danish descriptions of the agreement.
- CNBC — quoted Trump saying the U.S. would “immediately begin the process of developing a large Military presence” in Greenland.
- France24 — described provisions that ban non-NATO bases and limit foreign investments with security implications.
- Financial Times — reported Trump’s claim of “permanent control over Greenland’s security” and covered Denmark’s framing of the pact as strengthening regional security.
