US to open two new military bases in Greenland
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- Danish authorities stated the agreement places Arctic defense under NATO watch while explicitly respecting Danish sovereignty and Greenlandic self-determination.
- The arrangement restricts non-NATO nations from constructing military installations or securing sensitive investments in Greenland without approval.
United States is set to expand its military footprint in the Arctic by reopening a Cold War-era base and establishing a new facility in eastern Greenland, according to an agreement expected to be signed on Tuesday at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The pact, negotiated among Denmark, Greenland, and the US, aims to strengthen NATO's security posture in the North Atlantic while preserving Danish sovereignty and Greenland’s right to self-determination.
Under the terms of the agreement, Washington plans to re-establish a military presence at Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland, formerly the site of the US Bluie West One base until its closure in the 1950s.
A second site is planned for Mestersvig on Greenland’s eastern coast, a military outpost currently utilized by the Danish Sirius Dog Sled Patrol special forces unit.
The expansion will mark a significant increase in US forces on the island, where military operations have been largely concentrated at Pituffik Space Base (formerly Thule Air Base) since the end of the Cold War.
"At my direction, we worked with representatives of Denmark and Greenland to guarantee that the United States will forever have the complete ability to do what is necessary in Greenland in order to secure and defend the security of Greenland, and the United States of America," US President Donald Trump stated regarding the overarching security framework.
The deal follows months of intense diplomatic friction triggered by Trump’s recurring demands for the US to take control of Greenland.
Danish and Greenlandic officials consistently rejected any proposal to sell or cede the semi-autonomous territory, emphasizing that sovereignty remains with the Kingdom of Denmark.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen noted that the agreement places Arctic security firmly under NATO's collective umbrella rather than sole bilateral oversight, reinforcing defense capabilities against growing geopolitical activity in the region.
