Trump signs Greenland deal giving U.S. broad military authority on the island

The U.S., Denmark and Greenland on Tuesday signed a new security agreement bolstering the United States' military and security presence on the island in the North Atlantic, the culmination of years of tensions over the future of the Danish territory.

President Trump, Greenland Premier Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen signed the security agreement on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The White House released the text of the deal shortly after the signing ceremony.

The agreement reaffirms the sovereignty of Greenland, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, but gives the U.S. broad access to the island's airspace and territory.

The plan allows the U.S. to expand the existing Pituffik Space Base, the northernmost U.S. military installation which serves as an early-warning system for incoming missiles. The agreement also says the U.S. can establish additional bases at the sites known as Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig, which are roughly 950 miles apart. Any of the three parties can propose more "defense areas" as needed, subject to approval by the others.

The deal, which has no expiration date, also blocks non-NATO countries from establishing bases on the island without agreement from the parties. The agreement persists even if Greenland eventually becomes independent from Denmark. It intensifies screening for foreign investment from non-NATO and non-European Union members, a move aimed at blocking influence from China and Russia.

The leaders of Greenland and Denmark emphasized that the deal was a reflection of the changing security landscape in the Arctic. Mr. Trump has long toyed with the possibility of acquiring Greenland, by force if necessary, drawing criticism from NATO allies.