Trump had previously insisted that the US needed to “take Greenland” to prevent Russia or China from doing the same (Photo: Reuters).
“We will immediately begin the process of developing a large military presence in the appropriate locations,” he said, including “building two very major military bases. Officials from the US, Greenland and Denmark had negotiated for months behind the scenes, seeking solutions to some of Trump’s security concerns over the mineral-rich island, according to the Associated Press. Danish Prime Minister Frederiksen said on Tuesday that the deal being signed was a “deal that can last forever,” calling it good for the US, Greenland, Denmark and the wider NATO alliance.
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an agreement with Denmark and Greenland aimed at strengthening security in the Arctic and North Atlantic, easing tensions over his repeated calls for Greenland to become part of the United States.
Last year, Denmark’s parliament approved a legislation allowing US military bases on Danish soil, expanding a 2023 military agreement with the Biden administration that gave US troops broad access to Danish air bases.