US and Denmark reach deal over Greenland after Trump's vows to take island

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-19/donald-trump-announces-deal-with-denmark-us-military-greenland/107171964

In short:

US President Donald Trump says he has struck a deal with Denmark that gives the US "permanent control" over Greenland's security.

Mr Trump said the US would "immediately" begin developing a larger military presence in Greenland, months after he vowed to take the strategic island by force.

What's next?

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen says the deal will be signed by the three governments next week, adding the deal "recognises the sovereignty and territorial integrity" of Greenland and Denmark.

63 points · 21 comments · view on lemmy.world

21 Comments

Canajan@piefed.ca · 32 pts · 6d (1 reply)

Bullshit, only the orange lying sack of shite has said anything.

AviAdi@lemmy.world · -13 pts · 6d

Lol man it's impressive how Trump was able to acquire Greenland without any shot fired. 🗽🗽💪💪

The people of Greenland about to taste true freedom. PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN TONIGHT BABY

The prime minister admitted defeat! 😂😂

grte@lemmy.ca · 20 pts · 6d (11 replies)

Mr Trump, in a social media post announcing the deal, said the agreement "gives the United States permanent control over security, and all other needs, in Greenland, completely addressing ALL of our many US concerns".

He added that his administration would "immediately" begin the process of developing a larger military presence on the mineral-rich Danish territory.

In a statement, [Mette Frederiksen] said "the agreement recognises the sovereignty and territorial integrity" of Greenland and Denmark and upholds both peoples' right "to self-determination".

If both of these things are true, this is a monumentally stupid move on Denmark's part. It's silly to think that Donald Trump is going to respect your sovereignty because he signed an agreement. Denmark would be essentially ceding Greenland.

FrederikNJS@piefed.zip · 8 pts · 6d (9 replies)

As a dane, I can't help but wonder... Isn't this the deal we had with the US all along?

The previous agreement already gave the US permission to build military bases in Greenland, and they used to have many more bases, but the US chose to close down those bases themselves...

So isn't this basically the same as it already was, maybe with the benefit of it looking nice to Trumps voters that he didn't lose, because he got everything he wanted, eventhough he technically already had it?

grte@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 6d (3 replies)

No, it isn't. The US, if the deal passes and reporting is accurate, now no longer has to seek permission or even notify Denmark or Greenland about military buildup on the island. They have veto power over foreign investment on the island. And this all holds even if Greenland decides to go independent. Denmark basically agreed to the terms that Canada recently refused when the US tried to strongarm us into a bad deal.

FrederikNJS@piefed.zip · 2 pts · 3d

Well then... the deal is now publicly available... Here you go, have a read: https://stm.dk/media/fx1h4fqx/aftale_eng.pdf

As far as I read it, it...:

... states that the 1951 agreement is still valid
... allows the US to establish military bases at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig (which they could just have asked for under the 1951 agreement. Narsarsuaq was previously used by the US as both air and sea bases, but Mestersvig is new, but the US has previously had at least 3 military installations not too far away from there)
... allows the US to establish other military bases in Greenland, but this requires permission (just like the 1951 agreement)
... bans non-NATO powers to establish military installations, and make direct investments, unless otherwise agreed on by all parties.
... allows the US to establish unmanned military installations, but this requires permission (I also think this would have been fine under the 1951 agreement, but "unmanned" might be a special case)
... specifies that all contracts should be awarded to the greenlandic people to the maximum extent possible (This is new, and nice)
... allows free movement of US vessels, aircraft, armed forces, and vehicles between the bases (which was already allowed in the 1951 agreement)

I dunno... the big thing seems to be the stuff around non-NATO investment and military... everything else seems to work under the 1951 agreement...

It seems to me that we have yet another TACO Tuesday, with the benefit of Trump being able to claim victory to appease his voters... without having actually won much...

FrederikNJS@piefed.zip · 1 pts · 6d (1 reply)

You sure about that? As far as I know the agreement is still not public

grte@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 6d

Of course not, that's why I prefaced my original comment with

If both of these things are true

I'm going off the reporting I've seen thus far.

possumparty@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 1 pts · 6d (2 replies)

Som amerikaner mener jeg, at vores regering bør lade Danmark være i fred. Undskyld for ikke godt Dansk, jeg lærer.

FrederikNJS@piefed.zip · 1 pts · 6d (1 reply)

Jeg er meget enig.

Og dit danske er fint forståeligt! Godt gået!

possumparty@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 2 pts · 6d

Tak for det! Jeg har boede deltid i Danmark for 1.5 år nu, og dansk er meget svært at lære. If you run into someone speaking broken Danish in a really heavy american accent, then that may be me 😅

AviAdi@lemmy.world · -1 pts · 6d (1 reply)

Yes definitely! It's all the same that's why they have to vote on it but keep it secret until after the vote. Trust your government, they know what's best! 😂😂😂😂

FrederikNJS@piefed.zip · 2 pts · 3d

Sure, never trust your government... however in this instance, nothing much has changed... But Trump can claim victory because he got a deal...

https://piefed.zip/comment/7204881

Mihies@programming.dev · 4 pts · 6d

Certainly if we appease him, he will be happy and leave as us alone, right... 🤦‍♂️ Edit: as -> us

harrys_balzac@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 18 pts · 6d (1 reply)

This makes me sad for Greenland.

AviAdi@lemmy.world · -14 pts · 6d

Why? People dream of becoming Americans and sacrifice their life to come to the greatest country. These ensures greenlanders will live in freedom and prosperity for eternity!

Tiresia@slrpnk.net · 9 pts · 6d

✅ Remilitarization of the Rhineland

Surely this will satiate USAmerican expansionism. No reason to make economic or military preparations for treating them as an enemy.

TootSweet@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 6d

Unless the deal is "Trump can fuck off back to Truth Social and lose Denmark's number", I'm inclined to think Trump's full of even more shit than usual.

alapakala@quokk.au · 4 pts · 6d

They are going to Cuba Greenland😭
For my Asian readers:
They are going to colonize Greenland like they colonized བོད.😭

nanometer1625@thelemmy.club · 1 pts · 6d

So after years of complaining that NATO members rely too much on military funding from the USA, he gives Greenland free military funding? What an adept negotiator.

AviAdi@lemmy.world · -10 pts · 6d

🇺🇸🤝🇬🇱

This is the way 🗽🗽