Trump, Denmark and Greenland set to sign Arctic security deal at UN

President Donald Trump is due to meet Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen on Tuesday at the UN General Assembly to sign a deal expanding the US military footprint on the strategic, mineral-rich island — a move that could end months of NATO tension over Washington’s pressure on Greenland. Beyond the existing Pituffik Space Base, the agreement is expected to open two new sites: Narsarsuaq, a former Cold War airbase, and Mestersvig, used by Denmark’s Sirius Dog Sled Patrol, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said the pact would place Arctic security under NATO’s collective watch rather than leaving it solely to Washington and Copenhagen. Trump said Friday the deal gives the United States “permanent control over security, and all other needs, in Greenland.” Denmark has said the agreement respects the kingdom’s sovereignty and Greenland’s right to self-determination. The text remains unpublished ahead of the 10:30 a.m. ET signing; it is unclear whether it amends the 1951 defence treaty or creates a new framework. The expansion would be the first major US military buildup on the island since the Cold War, when Washington kept 17 installations and more than 10,000 personnel there. Source: Reuters Does a NATO-backed security expansion defuse Trump’s push to acquire Greenland — or lock in a lasting US military presence on Danish territory? https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/trump-denmark-greenland-sign-deal-bid-end-arctic-standoff-2026-09-22/