Vice-President JD Vance/Image @ Reuters
The United States is actively negotiating with Denmark to bolster its military footprint in Greenland, as reported by several officials familiar with the discussions.
Recent months have seen significant progress in these talks, which aim to address a diplomatic rift triggered by President Donald Trump’s controversial remarks regarding the territory.
In January, President Trump suggested that the US should “own” Greenland to thwart potential threats from Russia and China, claiming this could occur through either “the easy way” or “the hard way.” These comments led to heightened tensions between the US and Denmark.
The White House has confirmed its involvement in high-level discussions with both Greenland and Denmark, although it has refrained from disclosing specifics about the negotiations. A White House representative expressed optimism about the direction of the talks.
Denmark has previously indicated a willingness to consider additional US military bases on the island, and its foreign ministry has acknowledged ongoing diplomatic discussions. A spokesperson stated, “There is an ongoing diplomatic track with the United States,” but declined to provide further details at this time.
US officials are proposing that three new military bases be formally recognized as US sovereign territory, according to sources familiar with the negotiations. These bases would be situated in southern Greenland and primarily focus on monitoring potential Russian and Chinese maritime activity in the GIUK Gap, a strategic area in the northern Atlantic between Greenland, Iceland, and the UK.
While no formal agreements have been reached yet, the final number of bases may still vary. One proposed base is likely to be established in Narsarsuaq, on the site of a former US military installation that included a small airport. Additional bases would probably be located at existing sites with infrastructure such as airfields or ports, allowing for upgrades at a lower cost than constructing new facilities.
US officials have not discussed any plans to seize control of Greenland during negotiations, a notion that Denmark and NATO have publicly dismissed. Despite President Trump’s earlier threats, both nations have been working diligently toward a potential agreement in recent months.
The discussions have been conducted by a small working group of officials in Washington, who have made strides in negotiating discreetly while the administration focuses on other pressing issues, including the conflict in Iran.
General Gregory Guillot, head of US Northern Command, provided insight into the negotiations during congressional testimony in March, indicating a desire to establish new bases. Sources close to the discussions reveal that regular high-level meetings have advanced significantly in recent months.
Michael Needham, a senior State Department official, is leading this delicate diplomatic initiative, tasked with crafting an agreement that aligns with President Trump’s interests while respecting Denmark’s concerns regarding its territorial integrity.
A senior diplomat involved in the talks remarked that “Needham is running point” on Greenland, highlighting his leadership role in these crucial negotiations.
The teams have convened at least five times since mid-January, with Michael Needham typically accompanied by one or two officials from either the State Department or the National Security Council, according to several sources.
Present at the discussions are Jeppe Tranholm, Denmark’s permanent State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and the chief Danish negotiator, Jesper Møller Sørensen, Denmark’s ambassador to the US, and Jacob Isbosethsen, the leading Greenlandic diplomat in Washington.
During a democracy summit in Copenhagen on Tuesday, Greenlandic Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, remarked that negotiations with the US had “progressed positively.” He noted that discussions were “ongoing” but refrained from providing further details.
President Trump’s special envoy to Greenland, Republican Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, has not participated in the negotiations and has been largely absent from the diplomatic discussions, as reported by three sources.
”He was meant to serve as a sort of cheerleader for the idea that we could assert ourselves and take control of Greenland as a strategic asset,” said a close ally of Landry, who requested anonymity. “Landry has never attended any of the actual meetings.”
Currently, the US maintains one military installation in Greenland, a reduction from around 17 facilities during the peak of the Cold War. The Pituffik Space Base, located in northwestern Greenland, monitors missile activity for NORAD but is not designed for maritime surveillance.
Some current and former officials, along with Arctic security experts, have indicated to the BBC that the US could have pursued its interests in Greenland without issuing threats to a NATO ally.
”Why intimidate an ally with military action or invasion when what you seek could be negotiated amicably?” questioned one former senior US defense official.
Conversely, others commended the collaboration between the US and Denmark. “Whenever the US and its allies leave a void, that void is often filled by China and Russia,” retired General Glen VanHerck, who led Northern Command and NORAD from 2020 to 2024, told the BBC.
Behind closed doors, negotiators have been striving to find a compromise under an established security agreement that has been in place for decades between the US and Denmark.
The 1951 treaty allows the US considerable latitude to enhance its military activities in Greenland. While any expansion of US military presence must receive Danish government approval, Denmark has historically been supportive of American military operations there and has never turned down a US request for increased presence, according to Arctic security experts.
President Trump had previously shown interest in securing greater access to Greenland during his first term. However, his renewed focus earlier this year triggered a diplomatic crisis that underscored tensions between NATO and the Trump administration.
In his remarks in Copenhagen on Tuesday, Prime Minister Nielsen expressed that he believes “the discussions are now in a more favorable position than when we previously engaged through media channels.”
When asked if he would meet with Landry, President Trump’s envoy, during an upcoming business summit in Greenland next week, Nielsen replied that he was uncertain.
He added, “We can engage in meaningful discussions and hold meetings, but it will be conducted with respect, as we have emphasized from the outset.
We are not to be taken lightly. We are not for sale, and that will be the message of our meeting.”
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong