U.S. and Denmark Reach Agreement on Greenland Military Presence

Why it matters locally: As the seat of the federal government, the District of Columbia is directly impacted by foreign policy decisions and agreements that involve the U.S. military and international relations, given the presence of national security agencies and policymakers.

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump stated the United States and Denmark have reached an agreement to increase the U.S. military presence in Greenland. The announcement on Friday followed several months after previous U.S. statements regarding the Arctic island, a self-governing territory of Denmark. Previous statements from President Trump included an expression of interest in acquiring Greenland from Denmark. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen rejected the idea in August 2019, calling it an "absurd discussion." President Trump then cancelled a state visit to Denmark scheduled for September 2019, citing Frederiksen's comments as the reason for the cancellation. Greenland holds a strategic location in the Arctic, an area where several nations have increasing interests. The U.S. already maintains a military base, Thule Air Base, on the island's northwest coast. The base serves as the U.S. Air Force's northernmost installation, providing early warning missile detection and space surveillance capabilities. Details regarding the specific nature and scope of the new agreement to bolster the military presence were not immediately available.