By Kevin Akor
WASHINGTON — A deal negotiated by President Donald Trump would give the United States total control over key parts of Greenland while allowing Denmark to retain formal ownership of the island, according to a report published by The Telegraph.
The British newspaper reported that the areas Washington seeks to control would be designated as sovereign base areas, effectively placing them under U.S. authority and allowing American troops to be stationed there. The arrangement would mirror Britain’s long-standing setup on the island of Cyprus, where the U.K. exercises broad military and intelligence powers while local residents retain their national identity.
The report said “some local development, potentially including rare earth mining,” could take place within the zones controlled by the United States.
Trump has not publicly outlined the full details of the agreement, describing them as “a little complex.”
Denmark pushed back against the report. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Copenhagen would not relinquish its sovereignty over Greenland.
“As regards the deal, I have been informed that this has not been the case,” Frederiksen said.
The Telegraph reported that the arrangement would facilitate the use of Greenland as part of the proposed Golden Dome missile defense system.
“It’s a deal that people jumped at, really fantastic for the USA, gets everything we wanted, including especially real national security and international security,” Trump said.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said senior NATO commanders would work through the details of the agreement, according to Reuters.
“I have no doubt we can do this quite fast. Certainly I would hope for 2026, I hope even early in 2026,” Rutte said.
Trump said the deal would give the United States “total access” to Greenland and that Washington would obtain “everything we want at no cost,” according to NBC News.
“I’m not gonna have to pay anything. We’re gonna have total access to Greenland. We’re gonna have all military access that we want,” Trump said in an interview with Fox Business.
“We’re going to be able to put what we need on Greenland because we want it. We’re talking about national security and international security,” he said.
“Everything comes over Greenland. If the bad guys start shooting, it comes over Greenland,” Trump added.
Calling Greenland strategically critical, Trump compared the concept to President Ronald Reagan’s proposed space-based missile defense system during the Cold War.
“It’s pretty invaluable. It’s amazing,” Trump said. “Ronald Reagan had the idea a long time ago, but we didn’t have any technology at that point. The concept was great, but there was no technology. Now we have unbelievable technology.”
Reuters earlier reported that the deal could evolve along the lines of a Compact of Free Association, an arrangement the United States has with small island nations such as Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau. Under such agreements, the U.S. provides services and security guarantees in exchange for broad military access.
