President Donald Trump said Friday he has a deal with Denmark to bolster the U.S. military presence in Greenland after months of threatening to take island by force from the NATO ally.
Trump in social media post announcing the deal said the agreement “gives the United States permanent control over security, and all other needs, in Greenland, completely addressing ALL of our many U.S. concerns.”
He added that with the agreement his administration would “immediately” begin the process of developing a larger military presence on the mineral-rich Danish territory.
The U.S., Greenland and Denmark are expected to sign the agreement next week as the UN General Assembly goes on.
A State Department official told Scripps News the arrangement would allow the U.S. to "increase the number of bases in Greenland as required." The agreement would also prohibit any non-NATO bases on the island.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued the following statement:
"This historic deal is a huge win for the United States and the American people. Thanks to President Trump’s vision and leadership, this historic agreement permanently guarantees U.S. security interests in the Arctic at zero cost to the U.S. taxpayer. Greenland will forever be part of the strategic defense area of North America and exclude any adversary from it and the surrounding area. This deal permanently and completely addresses our national security concerns in Greenland."
Jens-Frederik Nielsen, chairman of the Greenland Government, issued a statement via Greenland's embassy:
"It is gratifying that we are about to enter into an agreement that ensures and strengthens the security of Greenland, the Kingdom of Denmark, the United States and the Western alliance. The agreement recognizes Greenland's interests and our place in international cooperation. It is to the benefit of us all."
This is a developing story and will be updated.
