Andrea Innocenti On September 22, 2026, during the United Nations General Assembly session in New York, US President Donald Trump signed a trilateral pact with Denmark and the self-governing government of Greenland. The agreement, heralded as a guarantee of permanent security in the Arctic region, provides for the construction of two large military facilities on Greenlandic territory.
In his speech, Trump declared that the United States will have the full capacity to defend the Americas, Europe, and other strategic areas, thanks to the new defense posture. He also emphasized that no adversary will be able to establish a military presence or make significant investments in Greenland without Washington's written consent.
Details of the agreement signed in New York
The document, signed in the presence of Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, provides for the United States to expand its military presence from a single base—the Pituffik Space Base, with approximately 150 troops—to two additional sites on Greenlandic soil.
The agreement does not make Greenland a US territory, but it does guarantee permanent security control over the island.
Specific commitments of the United States
According to Trump's statements, the United States is committed to building two "very important bases" that will strengthen its defense of the North Atlantic. In exchange, Washington has assured that it will not allow foreign powers to establish a military presence or strategic investments on the island without its written consent, a point that has allayed the concerns of Copenhagen and Nuuk.
The new bases: Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig
One of the sites identified is Narsarsuaq, a location that hosted the Blue West One base during the Cold War, which was closed in the early 50s. Today, the population has dwindled to a few dozen, but the area offers an excellent location for air and logistical operations. The second point is Mestersvig, currently used by the Danish special unit Sirius Dog Sled Patrol, which monitors Danish sovereignty in the area.
Both locations will be equipped with modern infrastructure, with the aim of hosting up to 5.500 military personnel if needed, as was the case during the Second World War when the US had a much more widespread presence on the island.
Implications for Arctic security and the role of NATO
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen stated that Arctic security will now be jointly managed by Denmark, Greenland, and the United States, but with strong NATO involvement. This approach aims to strengthen the cohesion of the Atlantic alliance, preventing the defense of the region from remaining exclusively in the hands of Washington or Copenhagen.
According to researcher Ulrik Pram Gad of DIIS, the crisis generated by Trump's demands was exploited to "strengthen NATO cohesion through Greenland." History shows that, as early as 1941, Danish representative Henrik Kauffmann had signed an agreement with the US to prevent German occupation of the island, thus establishing bases that later housed approximately 5.500 military personnel in 1943. A subsequent attempt by President Harry Truman to purchase the island in 1946 for $100 million in gold was rejected by Copenhagen, but cooperation continued with the 1951 agreement, tied to Denmark's membership in NATO.
With the new pact, Denmark reaffirmed its willingness to accommodate the legitimate security interests of the United States, but only if NATO's involvement remains explicit. The minister also emphasized that the new agreement represents "a long-term and fantastic relationship" for the three parties, ensuring shared defense against Russia and China's growing activities in the Arctic.
The move addresses U.S. strategic concerns, without compromising Danish and Greenlandic sovereignty, and marks a new phase of military cooperation in the North Atlantic area.