US stakes new claim to Greenland under secretive deal - as special forces set to be deployed in Arctic

Peter Stevens
Thu, 02 Apr 2026 03:18:30 +0000

The US has pushed its claim to Greenland further in secretive talks for a deal with Denmark, according to reports.

Washington has asked for access to three existing bases in the territory - including two abandoned former US military bases - in order to set up an airfield and ports.

A 1951 pact known as the Greenland Defense Agreement allows the US to maintain its military presence on the island.

Pituffik Space Base is the only US base currently on the island, but the treaty allows Washington to construct more.

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The Pituffik base serves an early warning and missile defence system, and also provides space surveillance.

And though Donald Trump has continued to pressure Denmark for control of Greenland, it is understood that ceding the island over to the US would be a "red line" in talks.

This red line has also resulted in Chagos-style sovereign bases being ruled out - a key feature of the deal's reported draft earlier this year.

General Gregory Guillot, the head of US Northern Command, told the Senate he wants broader access to bring special forces troops and Navy assets to Greenland permanently.

One White House official, meanwhile, told the Mail the US was "very optimistic that we're on a good trajectory".

They added: "What we have now is access to a particular air base in the northern part of Greenland which gives us some of the fighter and tanker capability and a lot of space capability.

"But we don't have a permanent presence for [special operations forces] and then we don't have a permanent presence for some of the maritime capabilities that I need."

He added that "more ports" and "more airfields" should lead to more options for the Secretary of State and President.

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He also said a new deal would not be needed, as the current deal is described as "very comprehensive" and "very favourable" to US operations in Greenland.

Mr Trump has previously said it is a matter of national security for Greenland to belong under American control.

He has pointed to both Russia and China's growing presence within the Arctic as potential threats to Greenland.

Vice President JD Vance and his wife Usha visited the Pituffik Space Base last year.

Then earlier this year, he claimed Nato allies had given the US "much more" than they publicly admitted.

The US is hoping to access Narsarsuaq, a town in southern Greenland with a deepwater port.

It is also seeking access to Kangerlussuaq in the southwest, which has a large enough runway to handle America's hulking military planes.

Both bases had seen use in the Second World War, but were abandoned and returned to local authorities.