US, Denmark, and Greenland Sign Defense Deal

Nordic regional defense policy has shifted with a major new agreement.

The United States, Denmark, and Greenland signed a military deal on September 22, 2026.

The ceremony took place at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed the agreement with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.

Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen also signed the defense pact.

The deal allows the United States to expand its military presence in Greenland.

It grants the U.S. permission to modernize Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland.

The U.S. military will also create defense areas at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig.

U.S. aircraft can now fly over and land anywhere in Greenland territory.

U.S. public vessels receive unrestricted undersea movement in Greenlandic territorial waters.

The agreement forbids non-NATO countries from building military installations in Greenland.

Non-NATO states cannot maintain a persistent military presence on the island.

It also restricts non-NATO and non-EU investors in sensitive Greenlandic sectors.

This agreement follows months of pressure from Donald Trump regarding Greenland.

Denmark and the U.S. previously signed a defense agreement back in 1951.

That original pact received major updates in 2004.

The new deal requires parliamentary approval in Denmark and Greenland to take effect.

According to Xinhua, diplomatic notes will finalize the accord after parliamentary checks.