Trump says US has received Greenland, citing a deal with Denmark and Europe

In brief

• Trump said the US now holds Greenland and thanked Denmark and Europe, without giving the terms of the arrangement.
• In a separate Fox News interview he called the move Europe's greatest gift, and another speaker said he meant a military agreement.
• A security agreement signed in early October expands the US military presence, while Greenland remains part of Denmark.

What Trump said

Trump said the United States now holds Greenland, speaking in remarks in Washington on Sunday. He thanked Denmark and Europe for making it possible (Трамп заявив, що США отримали Гренландію: що він сказав про домовленість – TSN). In a separate telephone interview with Fox News during coverage of the midterm elections, he described the move as the greatest gift Europe had ever given the United States (Trump: Europa podarowała nam Grenlandię jako największy prezent w historii – Onet) (Трамп заявив, що Гренландія – це найбільший подарунок, який Європа коли-небудь робила США – Українська правда). Another participant in that conversation quickly clarified that he meant a military agreement.

The security agreement

The United States, Greenland and Denmark signed a new security agreement more than four weeks before Trump's remarks. It aims to expand the American military and security presence on the island (Трамп рассказал о «величайшем подарке», который США когда-либо получали от Европы – Zerkalo). Greenland remains an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, so sovereignty has not changed.

Earlier demands

Until September, Trump repeatedly pressed for the United States to take control of the island, citing national security concerns. In early 2026 he did not rule out military force to take control of the resource-rich territory. In mid-October he said preparations were under way for large-scale oil, gas and mineral surveys on the island.

Reaction and open questions

Trump's latest statement goes further than the official framing. Trump has said he 'really needs' Greenland, arguing it is strategically vital for US defence because Russian and Chinese vessels operate nearby. Earlier, he claimed an almost complete deal, while officials in Greenland denied that any agreement existed and said talks had not effectively begun. Reports also say the US plans to restore military presence at two sites: a former Cold War base in the south and a post on the east coast. Closed-door talks among the three governments were held in Washington for several months.

The available material does not set out the legal content of the arrangement, so it is unclear whether the statement reflects a change in control or only an expanded military footprint.