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Wednesday, September 23, 2026

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Arctic · Wednesday, September 23, 2026

U.S., Denmark, and Greenland sign deal expanding defense access in Greenland

The File desk · Sep. 23, 2026, 6:28 a.m. ET

Confirmed2 primary sources

Status

Confirmed (White House full text + release, Sept. 22, 2026)
On Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, in New York, the United States, the Kingdom of Denmark, and Greenland signed an agreement amending and supplementing the April 27, . The text lets the United States modernize and expand work at Pituffik Space Base and add Defense Areas at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig under modalities the parties agree. It bars any state outside the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) from establishing manned or unmanned military installations or a persistent military presence in Greenland unless the parties agree. It also screens control or sensitive access by investors from outside NATO, NATO partners, and the European Union in particularly sensitive sectors. The deal has no end date and enters into force after Danish and Greenlandic parliamentary procedures and a diplomatic note to the United States. A White House release framed the signing with President Trump and Danish and Greenlandic leaders.
On Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, in New York, the United States, the Kingdom of Denmark, and Greenland signed an agreement amending and supplementing the April 27, .
The text lets the United States modernize and expand work at Pituffik Space Base and add Defense Areas at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig under modalities the parties agree.
It bars any state outside the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) from establishing manned or unmanned military installations or a persistent military presence in Greenland unless the parties agree.
It also screens control or sensitive access by investors from outside NATO, NATO partners, and the European Union in particularly sensitive sectors.
The deal has no end date. It enters into force after Danish and Greenlandic parliamentary procedures and a diplomatic note to the United States.
A White House release framed the signing with President Trump and Danish and Greenlandic leaders.
How we know

What is still unknown or disputed

  • Exact dates of Danish and Greenlandic parliamentary completion; detailed modalities for Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig still to be mutually agreed.

Primary sources

Every claim in this story is drawn from the documents below. If a fetch failed, that is recorded on the card.

  1. Source 1

    Agreement … to Amend and Supplement the Agreement of 27 April 1951 … on the Defense of Greenland

    The White House · September 22, 2026

    Done at New York on the 22nd day of September, 2026 … The United States shall be allowed to modernize and expand its activities in Pituffik Space Base

    https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2026/09/agreement-between-the-government-of-the-united-states-of-america-and-the-government-of-the-kingdom-of-denmark-together-with-the-government-of-greenland/

  2. Source 2

    President Trump Inks Historic Arctic Security Agreement

    The White House · September 22, 2026

    Today, President Donald J. Trump joined leaders of Denmark and Greenland to sign an unprecedented agreement …

    https://www.whitehouse.gov/releases/2026/09/president-trump-inks-historic-arctic-security-agreement/