Exclusives | North America

US to open two new military bases in Greenland

19 September 2026, 11:05 am

1 min read

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Foreign Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen, Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen, and Greenland's Minister for Foreign Affairs Mute B. Egede hold a final preparatory meeting at the Danish Consul General's residence, ahead of a signing ceremony to take place in connection with the UN General Assembly, where an agreement between Denmark, Greenland, and the USA will be signed, in Manhattan, New York, US, September 21, 2026. Ritzau Scanpix/Mads Claus Rasmussen via REUTERS

The United States, Denmark and Greenland have entered into an agreement that will see the US develop a significant military presence on the island, while prohibiting US adversaries from building their own bases there, Donald Trump said, confirming a Reuters Exclusive report.

Why it matters

Any potential accord would stop well short of US President Donald Trump’s ambition to acquire Greenland outright, said the people, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. But an agreement could nonetheless result in the US having a more robust presence on a landmass that has captured Trump’s attention for nearly a decade.