New Greenland Pact Gives America Bases, Power, and a Veto — Denmark Practically Handed It Over

The White House made public Wednesday the text of the agreement announced Friday between the U.S., Denmark, and Greenland on the U.S. presence in Greenland; see Whoa: Trump Secures Incredible Deal on Greenland – RedState. Competing descriptions of what the agreement entails have emerged. Like anything else President Trump does, there are a large number of people who reflexively chant "Orange Man Bad." The same is true with the Greenland deal.

The main criticism of the agreement is that it is nothing more than an update to the existing 1951 codicil to the North Atlantic Treaty, modified in 2004, and Trump is bloviating; he's claiming a significant agreement when, in reality, the agreement already existed. 

This is Obama's ambassador to Russia, who has Trump living rent-free in his head.

So it looks like Trump has just reaffirmed the security relationship we already had with our democratic ally, Denmark, but he's trumpeting it as some radical breakthrough.

Fits a pattern, of course.

But if it ends this nonsensical talk about planning to annex Greenland, that's…

— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) September 18, 2026

So it looks like Trump has just reaffirmed the security relationship we already had with our democratic ally, Denmark, but he's trumpeting it as some radical breakthrough.  

Fits a pattern, of course. 

But if it ends this nonsensical talk about planning to annex Greenland, that's progress.

And this is from someone who was allegedly on either White House or National Security Council staff for Obama or Biden.

It’s gonna be wild when people figure out this is the same agreement we’ve had with Greenland forever https://t.co/VQ6dDKhw3U

— Angry Staffer (@Angry_Staffer) September 18, 2026

The Danes haven't had a lot to say; their official statement was:

Prime Minister of Greenland Jens-Frederik Nielsen:

”It is encouraging that we are about to make an agreement that will ensure and strengthen 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 the international cooperation. It is to the benefit of us all.”

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen:

”I am glad that we are about to make a great agreement for Greenland, the Kingdom of Denmark, and the United States. An agreement which strengthens our common security in the Arctic and the North Atlantic Area and therefore is great for NATO and Europe as well. And an agreement which at the same time recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom and the Greenlandic people’s right to self-determination.” 

I've already staked out a position (see This Isn’t 1951: Trump’s Greenland Deal Gives America Permanent Bases and a Veto Over China – RedState); let's see how well it holds up. If you want to read along, this is the link: AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF DENMARK TOGETHER WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF GREENLAND – The White House.

If anyone reads this agreement and still believes it is a warmed-over 70-year-old treaty, they are lying. Even a lack of mental capacity would not permit that interpretation.

The deal is permanent.

As I stated in my previous post, the 1951/2004 Greenland agreements are linked to the North Atlantic Treaty. If the U.S. or Denmark left the treaty, the U.S. position would be void. This agreement specifies that it "does not have an end date and may only be amended by mutual consent."

Greenland independence is anticipated.

The agreement states that any Greenland independence deal requires Greenland to "affirmatively assume[s] all of the rights and obligations of the Kingdom of Denmark specified in this Agreement." 

More bases and veto on land usage

The current agreement restricts the U.S. to exactly one base: the former Thule Air Base, now known as Pituffik Space Base. It permits additional bases only with the mutual agreement of the U.S. and Denmark and in support of NATO. The new agreement gives the U.S. carte blanche to "modernize and expand its activities in Pituffik Space Base." It also allows the U.S. to create two additional bases at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig. It also provides for creating other bases as needed after consultation. The U.S. also has a near veto over land use in the vicinity of the "defense areas."

The Parties agree that the territory in the vicinity of a Defense Area shall not be used in any manner that threatens the security of the Defense Area. In order to implement this requirement,  the Parties intend to cooperate with respect to ensuring the security of the Defense Areas. The United States shall have the right to raise concerns regarding construction, or change of use in a manner that threatens a Defense Area, of any building, facility, or installation in the vicinity of the Defense Area.  Upon such notification the Parties shall mutually determine what steps may be necessary to address any threat.

Not linked to NATO.

The issue with the 1951 agreement, and subsequent updates, was that they were linked to the North Atlantic Treaty. If either the U.S. or Denmark left, the deal ended. If Greenland became independent, which was much more laughable in 1951 than in 2026, then the deal ended. Greenland could apply to be a NATO member, but there is no guarantee that all of NATO would approve its membership.

The new agreement is between three parties, NATO not being any of them, and it is for "the United States to have military access to the territory of Greenland to the extent necessary to defend the North Atlantic Treaty area, Greenland, and the American continent, including through establishment of a Golden Dome defense system."

In a prime example of the Horseshoe Effect, some on the right argue that this agreement locks the U.S. into NATO because any U.S. involvement anywhere is a betrayal of America.

FYI. The new deal with Greenland means we’re locked into NATO with this deal. Bottom line: this deal dissolves once the U.S. becomes a non-NATO member https://t.co/Wo2vv4ILc5

— Wayne DuPree (@RealWayneDupree) September 23, 2026

This is simply not true. It is a tripartite agreement that recognizes NATO security interests as one of three purposes. U.S. forces in Greenland will not be under the command of NATO or the U.S. component of NATO, the U.S. European Command. They will be under the U.S. Northern Command. There is no good explanation for how anyone could read the document and conclude this agreement was linked to NATO. 

Unrestricted right of movement.

Under the 1951 agreement, the U.S. was guaranteed access to only one place in Greenland: the former Navy base at Grondal. And it was only guaranteed until it could be returned to Danish Navy control. For the remainder of Greenland, the rule was, "in accordance with general rules mutually agreed upon and issued by the appropriate Danish authority in Greenland, the Government of the United States of America may enjoy" free passage of ships, vehicles and aircraft. The new agreement changes that rule to go any place, any time, any how: "The United States of America shall enjoy, for its public vessels and aircraft and its armed forces and vehicles, the right of free access to and movement between the Defense Areas through Greenland, including the Territorial Waters, by land, air and sea." Note that the part about rules being set by Danish authorities has also disappeared.

It also includes undersea access and movement within Greenland's territorial waters, which the 1951 agreement did not cover. 

Off-limits to non-NATO states.

Unlike the 1951 agreement, this one places the whole country off-limits to non-NATO countries. "No state that is not a member of NATO shall be allowed to establish its own manned or unmanned military installations in Greenland nor shall they be allowed a persistent presence of military forces in Greenland, unless otherwise agreed by the Parties."

Combined with Denmark and Greenland's obligation to collaborate with the U.S. on counterintelligence activities and the U.S. veto over civilian construction near the Defense Areas, this pretty well shuts down hostile powers.

Blocking China's Belt and Road Initiative.

If the U.S. veto over land use and the prohibition of non-NATO forces weren't enough, there is a ban on any foreign investment without U.S. approval.

Given the threat to national security and public order posed by increased efforts by adversaries to expand influence and control in Greenland, the Parties agree that states or investors from a state that is not a member of NATO, a NATO partner, or an EU member state shall not be allowed to have (i) control, (ii) significant influence, or (iii) access to non-public information that may constitute a threat to national security or public order within Particularly Sensitive Sectors or Activities in the territory of Greenland (including the Territorial Waters), unless agreed between the Parties that the activities of such states or investors would not constitute a threat to national security or public order.

Bottom line.

The U.S. has virtually unlimited rights to construct facilities in Greenland. These are not tied to NATO requirements. Danish authorities no longer set the rules for U.S. military movements by any mode of transportation. The U.S. has a veto over non-NATO military presence, non-NATO commercial enterprises, non-NATO investments, and land use around designated Defense Areas. The U.S. bases in Greenland are tied to the defense of the "American continent," not to NATO.

For the price of Trump recognizing "the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom and the Greenlandic people's right to self-determination," the Danes traded away basically everything. It took two years of Trump's dogged determination (see Trump Magic Strikes Again: Denmark and Greenland Leaders Want to Talk – RedState, or maybe six if you count from his first term; President Trump Cancels Denmark Visit Citing No Deal On Greenland Purchase. Really? – RedState), and not a cent of taxpayer money, to turn Greenland into a U.S. protectorate. Yes, "the sovereignty and territorial integrity" are guaranteed, but that doesn't mean much when another country can build bases and control major functions of sovereignty, like economic development, and you don't have a vote. 

The Danes didn't sell us Greenland; they basically gave it to us.

Editor's Note: Thanks to President Trump and War Secretary Pete Hegseth's leadership, the warrior ethos is coming back to America's military.

Help us continue to report on Trump and Hegseth's successes as they make our military great again. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.