After nearly two years of escalating rhetoric from Washington, the United States, Denmark, and Greenland signed a trilateral security agreement in September 2026 that allows for a greater U.S. military presence on the island—including the establishment of “Golden Dome” missile-defense capabilities. Despite President Donald Trump’s previous calls to acquire Greenland, the deal preserves the status quo, maintaining the island’s status as a semiautonomous territory of Denmark.

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The U.S., Denmark, and Greenland reached a security deal. Here’s what to know.

The new trilateral security agreement expands U.S. military access to the island, reinforcing Arctic security amid increasing geopolitical competition in the region.

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Danish soldiers disembark at the port in Nuuk, Greenland, in January.Mads Claus Rasmussen / AFP via Getty

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