The United States is not done with Greenland. According to the New York Times, the Pentagon is in talks with Denmark to gain access to three additional areas in the Arctic region, two of which had been abandoned for decades. This marks the first on-site expansion since the Cold War, highlighting the increasing strategic importance of the Arctic for Washington, as interpreted by the American newspaper. So far, Copenhagen has not reacted to this latest development.
General Gregory M. Guillot, head of the United States Northern Command, stated in mid-March during a congressional hearing that the American military was seeking “increased access to various bases in Greenland, given the growing threat.” Quoted by the NYT, he then estimated that the development of ports and airfields would provide “more options for our secretary and the president, if we need them in the Arctic.” Among the sites drawing the attention of American military officials are Narsarsuaq, in southern Greenland, with a strategic deep-water port, and Kangerlussuaq, in the southwest, equipped with a long runway capable of accommodating large cargo planes.
This perspective raises concerns among the Greenlanders. In January 2026, several thousand protesters gathered in Copenhagen, Denmark, and in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, to denounce the territorial ambitions of the former real estate tycoon. The semi-autonomous territory, which has been part of the Danish realm for over 300 years, finds itself at the heart of a delicate diplomatic negotiation. Note that President Donald Trump had already sparked a crisis in 2019 by stating his desire to acquire Greenland, even threatening the use of force before backing down in January 2026.
An agreement from 1951 gives the Americans almost a free hand
Today, American officials rely on the defense pact concluded between Denmark and the United States in 1951. “We don’t really need a new treaty. It is very comprehensive and, frankly, very favorable to our current or potential operations in Greenland,” assured General Guillot. The defense agreement was revised in 2004 to integrate the semi-autonomous government of Greenland, giving it a say in the consequences of American military operations for the local population.
On the Danish side, there is little room to oppose the extension, even though the trust between allies has been shaken. “They have been extremely cooperative partners,” promises General Guillot. Ulrik Pram Gad, a senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies, noted to the New York Times that, in principle, Denmark and Greenland can say no to the United States, but in practice, it is never done. Otherwise, the United States could present control of the region by Denmark and Greenland as a threat to their security and argue that they should take control themselves.
Only one active base
For now, the details of this military expansion remain unclear, and the exact number of American soldiers who could be deployed is not specified. During World War II, when Denmark was under Nazi occupation, the United States took charge of defending Greenland, deploying thousands of soldiers and opening over a dozen bases, some of which remained operational during the Cold War. “Currently, only one base remains active: an isolated antimissile defense facility, housing a few hundred people,” specifies the New York Times.
While the world closely monitors the war in Iran, the Arctic quietly becomes a strategic playground for Washington once again. Between military ambitions and geopolitical stakes.
