By Aamer Madhani The Associated Press Published September 18, 2026 at 6:57 pm Updated September 19, 2026 at 4:40 pm 2-minute read Reduce article font size Increase article font size President Donald Trump said Friday he has an agreement with Denmark to bolster the U.S. military presence in Greenland after months of threatening to seize the island by strength to the NATO ally. Trump, in a social media post announcing the deal, said the deal “gives the United States permanent control over security and all other needs in Greenland, fully addressing ALL of our many American concerns.” 2:12 A Canadian drilling company says it did not move an unauthorized rig to Greenland. He added that with the agreement his administration would “immediately” begin the process of developing a greater military presence in the mineral-rich Danish territory. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s office said the agreement will be signed by three governments next week during the United Nations General Assembly, but parliamentary action by the governments of Denmark and Greenland is still needed before it can be implemented. 5:24 Greenlanders and Danes react to the latest agreement between Greenland and the United States. In a statement, he said that “the agreement recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity” of Greenland and Denmark and defends the right of both peoples “to self-determination.” Get the latest national news Get the latest Canadian news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you don’t miss any breaking news. Upon his return to the White House last year, Trump called on Denmark to sell the island to the United States, while insisting that Greenland is crucial to American security. He does not clearly rule out taking the island by military force, even though Denmark is a USD ally in NATO and Greenland has repeatedly said the island is not for sale and condemned reports that the United States is gathering intelligence there. Russia and much of Europe also oppose the American push for Greenland. More on the world More videos 0:50 US oil company sets up operations in Greenland without consent But Trump, in his Friday social media post, suggested a deal could be reached that could end what Denmark considered an existential crisis. “We look forward to working with the wonderful people of Denmark and Greenland toward a great future regarding this large and highly strategic parcel of land,” Trump said in his post. “We will be very protective of it!” 1:01 Trump says Greenland should be controlled by the United States, not Denmark Previous video Next video © 2026 The Canadian Press