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 zones in the Arctic island, two of which had been abandoned for decades. This marks the first expansion on site since the Cold War, highlighting the growing strategic importance of the Arctic for Washington, as interpreted by the American newspaper. So far, Copenhagen has not responded to the revelations.
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 different bases in Greenland, given the increasing threat.” Quoted by the NYT, he believed that the development of ports and airfields would provide “more options for our secretary and president, if we need them in the Arctic.” Among the sites drawing the attention of American military officials are Narsarsuaq in the south of Greenland, with a strategic deep-water port, and Kangerlussuaq in the southwest, equipped with a long runway capable of hosting large cargo planes.
This perspective raises concerns among Greenlanders. In January 2026, thousands of demonstrators gathered in Copenhagen, Denmark, as well as in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, to denounce the territorial ambitions of the former real estate magnate. The semi-autonomous territory, which has been part of the Danish kingdom for over 300 years, finds itself at the heart of a delicate diplomatic negotiation. Note that President Donald Trump had already caused a crisis in 2019 by expressing interest in acquiring Greenland, even threatening the use of force before abandoning the idea in January 2026.
An agreement from 1951 gives Americans almost free rein
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 include the semi-autonomous government of Greenland, granting them a say in the consequences of American military operations for the local population.
On the other hand, Denmark has little room to oppose the extension, even if trust between allies has been shaken. “They have been extremely cooperative partners,” promises General Guillot. Ulrik Pram Gad, senior researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies, notes 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 portray the control of the island by Denmark and Greenland as a threat to their security and argue that they should take control themselves.”
Only one base remains active
Currently, the details of this military expansion remain vague, and the exact number of American troops that 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 installation, housing a few hundred people,” notes the New York Times.
While the world closely watches the war in Iran, the Arctic quietly becomes a strategic playing field for Washington again. Between military ambitions and geopolitical stakes.
