US plans two new military bases in Greenland

The United States is preparing to expand its military presence in Greenland by reopening a former Cold War-era base in the south and establishing another military facility on the island’s east coast.

The planned move is part of a new security agreement involving the United States, Denmark and Greenland. The agreement is expected to be signed during the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday. The reported locations are Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland and Mestersvig in the east.

Narsarsuaq was previously home to the American Bluie West One base. The US closed the facility in the 1950s. The area’s population has since fallen to only a few dozen residents.

Mestersvig is currently used by Denmark’s Sirius Dog Sled Patrol, a special forces unit responsible for patrolling Greenland’s remote northern and eastern regions. The proposed US presence would therefore expand American military activity in an area that currently has a limited Danish security footprint.

Details of the agreement have not yet been publicly released. People familiar with the negotiations said some elements could remain subject to finalisation until the agreement is formally signed.

The White House has not publicly disclosed the specific arrangements for the two sites. It has previously said that the agreement is intended to strengthen the security of Greenland and the United States.

Denmark has described the agreement as part of a broader NATO framework for Arctic security. Copenhagen has maintained that the arrangement would strengthen collective defence rather than place Greenland’s security solely under American and Danish responsibility.

The planned expansion follows months of tensions over Greenland. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly highlighted the strategic importance of the Arctic territory and previously expressed a desire for greater American control over Greenland.

Those statements created tensions between Washington, Copenhagen and Nuuk. Greenland is a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, while Denmark remains responsible for areas including foreign and defence policy.

The new agreement represents a shift from the earlier dispute over territorial control toward expanded US military cooperation with Denmark and Greenland. Recent reports indicate that the arrangement is intended to increase the American security role while maintaining Danish sovereignty over the territory.

Greenland’s strategic importance has increased as Arctic competition has intensified. Its location between North America and Europe makes the territory important for monitoring the North Atlantic and Arctic regions.

The United States already operates Pituffik Space Base in northwestern Greenland. The facility is currently the only remaining major American military installation on the island and has around 150 US military personnel.

The American military presence in Greenland was much larger during the Cold War. At its peak, the United States operated 17 military installations and had more than 10,000 personnel on the island.

The proposed bases would therefore mark a significant expansion from the current US footprint. They would also restore an American presence at locations that played a role in the military history of the Arctic.

The agreement comes as NATO members place greater emphasis on Arctic security. The region has become increasingly important because of its geography, military significance and changing access to Arctic routes.