Trump signs Greenland deal giving U.S. broad military authority on the island

Updated on: September 22, 2026 / 12:27 PM EDT / CBS News

Washington — The U.S., Denmark and Greenland on Tuesday signed a new security agreement bolstering the United States' military and security presence on the island in the North Atlantic, the culmination of years of tensions over the future of the Danish territory.

President Trump, Greenland Premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen signed the security agreement on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The White House released the text of the deal shortly after the signing ceremony.

The agreement reaffirms the sovereignty of Greenland, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, but gives the U.S. broad access to the island's airspace and territory.

The plan allows the U.S. to expand the existing Pituffik Space Base, the northernmost U.S. military installation which serves as an early-warning system for incoming missiles. The agreement also says the U.S. can establish additional bases at the sites known as Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig, which are roughly 950 miles apart. Any of the three parties can propose more "defense areas" as needed, subject to approval by the others.

The deal, which has no expiration date, also blocks…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/