U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States would build two additional military installations in Greenland under an agreement expected to be signed later Tuesday.
“We will be building two very major military bases,” Trump said, in an address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
“By expanding America’s footprint in the Arctic and North Atlantic, this deal also protects Europe in addition to America and greatly protects them. It also very much enhances NATO.”
Trump did not name the location of the new bases. But on Monday, Reuters reported, citing anonymous sources, that the new installations would be built at Narsarsuaq, site of the former Bluie West One U.S. air force base, in southern Greenland, and Mestersvig, an outpost used by the Sirius Dog Sled Patrol, a Danish special forces unit, in eastern Greenland.
The U.S. already operates Pituffik Space Base on Greenland’s northwestern coast, approximately 1,200km north of the Arctic Circle.
Trump’s second term has been marked by repeated calls for the U.S. to buy or take control over Greenland saying it’s needed for U.S. national security as China and Russia up activity in the Arctic.
Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly said the island is not for sale. A working group was then set up for the United States, Denmark and Greenland to address Washington’s security concerns.
Further details of the agreement are not yet public. Trump said the agreement would be signed later on Tuesday by him, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Arctic would be “flagship project” in proposed EU-Canada partnership, von der Leyen says, Eye on the Arctic
Denmark: Denmark says NATO shares responsibility for Arctic security under Greenland deal, Reuters
Greenland: Timeline-Key moments in Trump’s push to control Greenland, Reuters
Russia: Kremlin says Greenland deal with US and Denmark is a matter for those involved, Reuters
United States: Trump touts ‘permanent control’ in Greenland deal as Denmark, Nuuk stress sovereignty, self-determination, Eye on the Arctic
