Bloomberg: The US wants to change defense agreement with Denmark to remove restrictions on military presence in Greenland

The US plans to revise its defense agreement with Denmark to gain full control over its military presence in Greenland.

Bloomberg writes about this, citing sources.

The 1951 agreement, amended in 2004, requires the US to consult with Denmark and Greenland and notify them of any major changes in military operations or structures.

According to Bloomberg, US negotiators want to remove these restrictions. This would allow the US to deploy troops and equipment without having to approve it. The details of the agreement are still being negotiated.

President Donald Trump earlier spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos about the “basics of a future deal” for Greenland, but did not reveal details. In an interview with Fox Business, he added that the US would have “all the military capabilities that it wants” and would be able to deploy “anything it needs without restrictions and without a time frame”.

The current agreement has transformed the US military presence since the end of the Cold War. Previously, there were 17 American bases in Greenland, but now there is only one, which is home to about 150 military personnel and more than 300 contractors. Many of them are citizens of Denmark or Greenland.

It is unclear whether Denmark and Greenland will agree to the new terms. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has said both sides are open to "further expansion" of the defense treaty, but has not yet disclosed details.

The US-Denmark talks are becoming key in the context of increasing military presence in the Arctic. Greenland has a strategic location for controlling Arctic sea routes and passenger communications.

If the agreement is signed, the US will be able to constantly increase its presence in the region, change the location of equipment and troops without additional approvals, and act more quickly in case of crisis situations.

• Donald Trump reported on January 17 that the United States would impose 10% tariffs on Denmark, the United Kingdom, Norway, France, Germany, Finland, and the Netherlands starting February 1 if these countries oppose the idea of transferring Greenland to US control. Trump has long called the island critical to American security and has not ruled out a forceful scenario.
• Before that, several European countries, at the request of Denmark, sent small military contingents to Greenland. This further aggravated relations between Washington and its European allies. However, the day after the announcement of the tariffs, Germany abandoned the military exercises. Later, Trump abandoned the idea of imposing tariffs.

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