The United States will expand its military presence in Greenland by establishing two more "very large" military bases there. This was announced by the country's President Donald Trump during a speech at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, September 22.
Earlier, the same information was circulated by Reuters, citing three sources. On September 22, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York, an agreement between the United States, Greenland, and Denmark is expected to be signed to resume, in Denmark’s autonomous region, the operations of one American base and to create another new one, the report said.
By the time of publication at the White House, officials declined to provide detailed comment on the matter, but they confirmed previously reported information about plans to reach an agreement in order to “ensure and protect the security of Greenland and the United States.” The governments of Denmark and Greenland have not yet made any statements on the topic.
As Reuters’ interlocutors said on condition of anonymity, plans call for resuming operations of the U.S. air base Bluie West One in the settlement of Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland. The base was closed in the 1950s, which reduced the population of Narsarsuaq to just several dozen people, Reuters notes.
The second site where the United States’ military presence could be expanded may be the Mestersvig military outpost on the east coast, which is currently used by Denmark’s Sirius special forces unit, carrying out patrols on dog sleds.
Trump's statement on an agreement regarding Greenland
On September 18, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he had reached understandings with Denmark on “the security of Greenland.” The agreement reached by the parties will allow the U.S. to have “permanent control over security and all other needs in Greenland,” the head of the White House wrote on his Truth Social social media account.
As Trump claimed at the time, Washington received an open-ended right to “do in Greenland whatever is necessary to ensure and protect the security” of the island itself and the United States. In addition, without the approval of the United States, “U.S. opponents” would not be able to establish military bases in Greenland or make “sensitive investments” in Denmark’s autonomous region, the head of the White House said then.
For their part, Copenhagen and Nuuk released a statement regarding the “expected agreement” with Washington. The document will work to the benefit of NATO, as it will strengthen “our shared security in the Arctic and the North Atlantic region,” said Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
For his part, Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen emphasized that the agreement “ensures and strengthens the security of Greenland, the Kingdom of Denmark, the United States, and the Western alliance.” It also recognizes Greenland’s interests and the position of the autonomous region in international cooperation, Nielsen added.
Donald Trump’s claims to Greenland
The island of Greenland is located off the coast of North America, but it is an autonomous territory of Denmark. Even during his first presidential term, Trump said he intended to buy Greenland. After returning to the White House, he began putting pressure on Denmark and its European allies, demanding that Greenland be transferred under Washington’s control.
The U.S. president justified his claims by saying he wanted to ensure the security of the United States and Europe. At the same time, officials from his inner circle have repeatedly noted that the island is rich in rare earth elements.
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