United States President Donald Trump claims the US has reached a deal with Denmark granting it “permanent control” over Greenland’s security “and all other needs”.
uncertain
US → claim → security
The announcement comes more than a year after the US president threatened to seize the self-governing Arctic territory, which is part of Denmark.
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which → come → Denmark
Those threats roiled the NATO security alliance that Washington and Copenhagen are part of.
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Washington → roil → that
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iceberg → pledge → Greenland
According to Denmark, the deal is expected to be signed during next week’s United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York.
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deal → accord → York
Copenhagen has stressed that it retains sovereignty over Greenland, and this deal will still need to be ratified in the Danish and Greenland parliaments.
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deal → stress → parliaments
Here’s what we know about the deal and what it could mean for the US and Greenland:
What’s in the deal?
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’s → ’ → deal
The official text has yet to be released.
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text → have → ?
But according to Trump, the deal gives the US permanent control over Greenland’s security and “all other needs”, at no cost to the US.
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deal → accord → US
The deal bars US adversaries from establishing a military presence or making “sensitive investments” in Greenland without US approval, said Trump.
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Trump → bar → approval
A US Department of State official cited by the BBC said the deal will mean non-NATO states won’t be able to set up bases in Greenland and will be barred from “making investments in Greenland that could threaten the United States”.
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that → cite → States
The official said that means China and Russia won’t be able to build bases or send troops to Greenland, and that those states would be blocked from investing “in sensitive sectors”.
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states → say → sectors
However, Mikkel Olesen, a senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies, told Al Jazeera that it is unlikely to be a major concession because “the Danes and Greenlanders never wished for Russia or China to have bases in Greenland.”
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Russia → tell → Greenland
However, it is unclear whether other countries could similarly be labelled “adversaries” to the US in the future, subjecting them to these restrictions.
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countries → label → restrictions
Trump called the deal an “‘Infinite Life’ Agreement”, meaning “it never ends”.
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it → call → deal
The State Department official also said the agreement gives the US the right to build more military sites on the island without Greenland or Denmark approving.
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Greenland → say → island
According to the official, the deal would remain in force even if Greenland were to become an independent state in the future.
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Greenland → accord → future
There was no specific mention of potential US mining rights in Greenland, which has a rich deposit of rare-earth minerals, including zinc, iron, uranium and graphite, that are likely to interest Trump.
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that → be → Trump
These minerals are highly sought after and are used in the manufacture of hundreds of technological products, from smartphones to fighter jets.
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minerals → seek → jets
However, some observers think this could be what Trump means by his mention of “sensitive investments”.
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Trump → think → investments
The US president has sought to expand the US’s global access to rare-earth metals, especially as China, a global leader in the technology, AI and renewables industries with 60 percent of the world’s known deposits of these minerals in its territory, restricts their exports.
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China → seek → exports
What have Greenland and Denmark said?
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Greenland → say → What
Greenland and Denmark acknowledged the deal on Friday, but neither gave specific details about its terms.
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neither → acknowledge → terms
They said the agreement would be announced next week.
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agreement → say → ?
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said it “recognises Greenland’s interests” and is “to the benefit of us all”.
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it → say → us
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said it is “great for NATO and Europe”, as it “strengthens our common security in the Arctic and the North Atlantic Area”.
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it → say → Arctic
Olesen stressed that details of the deal remain unclear and that available information should be taken “with a grain of salt” as most of it has so far come from the US side.
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most → stress → side
Does the deal give the US ownership of Greenland?
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deal → give → Greenland
No, it does not meet Trump’s previously stated objective of “ownership”.
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it → meet → ownership
Denmark’s Frederiksen said the agreement “recognises the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom and the Greenlandic people’s right to self-determination”.
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agreement → say → determination
Olesen said the deal could be positive for Greenland and Denmark as it “has the potential to end the crisis” caused by Trump’s insistence on acquiring Greenland last year, without sacrificing sovereignty.
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it → say → sovereignty
Trump’s earlier threats to seize control of Greenland were met with high resistance on the island of 56,000 people.
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threats → seize → people
A January 2025 poll found that 85 percent of Greenlanders opposed becoming part of the US.
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percent → find → US
What military rights does the US already have in Greenland?
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US → have → Greenland
Under a 1951 treaty, the US has broad overflight and basing rights on the island.
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US → have → island
In addition to giving the US the right to build bases and maintain personnel, the treaty also stipulates that the US can “control landings, takeoffs, anchorages, moorings, movements, and operation of ships, aircraft, and waterborne craft”.
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US → give → ships
As part of the treaty, the US currently operates a Space Force base in a remote part of northwestern Greenland – the Pituffik Space Base.
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US → operate → Greenland
It has more than 100 personnel stationed there.
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It → have → personnel
That largely remains to be seen.
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That → remain → ?
Trump said the US will “immediately” begin building up a large military presence on Greenland.
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US → say → Greenland
…and 5 more, not listed.
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