Greenland's parliament, the Inatsisartut, formally ratified a security agreement with the United States on Tuesday, a deal that would allow Washington to build two new military bases on the Arctic island. Sixteen lawmakers voted in favor and seven abstained; no one voted against, according to AFP and Sweden's TT news agency.
The agreement, signed in New York on Sept. 22 by President Donald Trump and Danish and Greenlandic leaders, amends the 1951 defense arrangement that has governed the U.S. military presence in Greenland for more than seven decades. It names Narsarsuaq in the south and Mestersvig in the east as sites for new U.S. bases, in addition to the existing Pituffik Space Base in the northwest.
Keeping China and Russia out
Beyond the bases, the pact bars countries outside the European Union and NATO from strategic sectors such as critical minerals, a provision widely seen as aimed at blocking Chinese or Russian influence through investment. The text recognizes the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark and the Greenlandic people's right to self-determination, and Danish officials say that, unlike the 1951 arrangement, it explicitly makes the United States responsible for environmental protection and cleanup.
The deal does not take effect until Denmark also signs off. It will enter into force on the date of a diplomatic note informing Washington that parliamentary procedures in both Greenland and Denmark are complete. The Danish parliament, the Folketing, is scheduled to vote on Nov. 19.
Opposition cries foul over money
The vote followed a bitter debate. The opposition party Naleraq criticized the agreement for not guaranteeing financial contributions to Greenland or contracts for local businesses, and raised concerns about environmental cleanup. In a minority statement, the party said government notes showed it had "attempted to obtain payment from the USA, but without result" — a claim Minister Múte B. Egede denied. Naleraq chairman Pele Broberg filed a no-confidence motion against Egede, and parliament speaker Kim Kielsen said the presidency would report a suspected breach of confidentiality to police, which delayed the debate.
Trump's takeover talk
The ratification comes after nearly two years of pressure from Trump, who has repeatedly said since January 2025 that the United States needs to control Greenland for strategic reasons, alarming NATO ally Denmark. In recent days he again suggested the island had effectively been handed over to Washington and that major American military investments were imminent. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen attributed the remarks to campaigning ahead of the U.S. midterm elections, saying the negotiators understood the terms and that Trump's statements did not reflect what had been agreed. Rasmussen added that Washington has not yet presented concrete plans for the new bases.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons (Kenny McFly, U.S. Air Force, file)
