The U.S., Denmark, and Greenland Amend Defense Agreement

        On September 22, 2026, the White House announced that the United States of America, the Kingdom of Denmark, and the government of Greenland signed an agreement. The new agreement is an amended and supplemented version of the 1951 Defense Agreement. This was in response to threats from President Donald Trump towards Greenland and Denmark. This agreement is critical to the defense of the United States and NATO, and reaffirms Denmark’s sovereignty, but also recognizes Greenland’s right to self-determination.

        Greenland is an island located in the North Atlantic Ocean. Roughly eighty percent of its territory is covered by ice. Greenland is an autonomous part of Denmark where it has its own local government as well as two representatives in the Parliament of Denmark.

        The United States has long seen Greenland as a necessity for its national security. For example, the United States built military bases there to prevent the Nazis from invading Greenland during World War II. During the Cold War, there were around 10,000 American troops stationed in Greenland. Today, the United States operates Pituffik Space Base (formerly known as Thule Air Base), which supports radar defense and space surveillance missions. Ultimately, Greenland’s location is a strategic asset in monitoring adversary operations in the region. In addition, Greenland possesses large amounts of natural resources that are strategic for the United States commercial and defense supply chains. Also, warming waters are melting ice and creating more efficient shipping routes between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The United States wants a presence along the shipping routes because it would shorten shipping between East Asia and Western Europe. However, it is important to note that the waters remain frozen for most of the year but could soon be more utilized during the summers.

          Furthermore, the agreement is a “win” for all Parties involved. It allows the United States to build two new bases in Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig, as well as additional bases in the future if needed. The agreement also requires the United States, when possible, to contract with Greenlandic companies to help build and dismantle the bases and supply goods and services for them, among other things. Furthermore, non-NATO countries or allies and non-European Union member states are prohibited from investing in Greenland if the investments could threaten national security or public order by giving them control, significant influence, or access to information in sensitive sectors, unless the Parties consent to the investments. This ensures that the United States will have a say in who is allowed to invest in those industries in Greenland. China has previously attempted to invest in Greenland’s critical infrastructure, but those efforts have been thwarted. This agreement also eases tensions between Denmark and the United States, while strengthening NATO.

         To conclude, the September 2026 agreement emphasizes Greenland’s importance to American and NATO national security.

By Andrew Wallen

Sources

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Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark Together with the Government of Greenland, The White House (Sept. 22, 2026), https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2026/09/agreement-between-the-government-of-the-united-states-of-america-and-the-government-of-the-kingdom-of-denmark-together-with-the-government-of-greenland-to-amend-and-supplement-the-agreement-of-27-apri/ (last visited Oct. 19, 2026).

Dave Ross, The Cold War Agreement That Opened Greenland to the US Military, History (Jan. 15, 2026), https://www.history.com/articles/1951-agreement-that-allows-us-military-presence-in-greenland (last visited Oct. 19, 2026).

Diana Roy & Jonathan Masters, The U.S., Denmark, and Greenland Reached a Security Deal. Here’s What to Know, Council on Foreign Relations (Sept. 29, 2026), https://www.cfr.org/articles/greenlands-independence-what-would-mean-us-interests (last visited Oct. 19, 2026).

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Kirsten Grirshaber, What to Know About the Agreement Signed by President Trump and the Leaders of Denmark and Greenland, The Associated Press (Sept. 23, 2026), https://apnews.com/article/denmark-us-greenland-agreement-explainer-1295640ca845f6bb89690b07da9496f9 (last visited Oct. 19, 2026).