US to open two new military bases in Greenland - report

The deal bans any non-NATO base in Greenland and guarantees that China and Russia cannot establish a presence there, according to a State Department official

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Maj. Dylan Flynn and Capt. Jeff Weingast, F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots assigned to the 18th Fighter Interceptor Squadron from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, taxi their aircraft on the flightline during Operation NOBLE DEFENDER at Pittufik Space Base, Greenland, Jan. 31, 2025.
Maj. Dylan Flynn and Capt. Jeff Weingast, F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots assigned to the 18th Fighter Interceptor Squadron from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, taxi their aircraft on the flightline during Operation NOBLE DEFENDER at Pittufik Space Base, Greenland, Jan. 31, 2025.US Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Christopher Ruano

The United States plans to re-establish a Cold War-era military base in southern Greenland and set up another on the autonomous territory's east coast, according to three people who spoke with Reuters. The sites of the bases include Narsarsuaq, with a population of only a few dozen people since the US closed its Bluie West One military base in the 1950s, and Mestersvig, a military outpost used by the Sirius Dog Sled Patrol, a Danish special forces unit.

According to the report, Denmark, Greenland and the United States are expected to sign the agreement at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, though its full text has not been made public.

White House spokesperson declined to comment on the details but repeated an earlier statement that the signing would secure and defend the security of Greenland and the United States. Denmark says the agreement places Arctic security under NATO's watch rather than leaving it solely to the US and Denmark.

Greenland: Greenland row dominates Davos, straining U.S.-European alliance
Greenland: Greenland row dominates Davos, straining U.S.-European alliance

The deal follows months of pressure from President Donald Trump, who has said he wants the US to control Greenland and has at times refused to rule out military or economic force to acquire the territory. US President Donald Trump announced Friday he had reached a deal with Denmark to bolster the US military presence in Greenland while keeping the territory in Danish hands.

In a statement, the president said the agreement "gives the United States permanent control over security, and all other needs, in Greenland."

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the agreement recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Greenland and Denmark and upholds both peoples' right to self-determination, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio called it a "historic deal" and a "huge win" for the United States.

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