'US already has full military access': Denmark dismantles Trump's national security case for Greenland

As US President Donald Trump revives talk of acquiring Greenland on national security grounds, a senior Danish lawmaker has publicly countered the core premise of that argument.

Rasmus Jarlov, a Conservative MP and chairman of Denmark's Defence Committee, has pointed out that the United States already has sweeping military access to the island - and has chosen not to use it.

Jarlov suggested on Wednesday that Washington's claim that it needs to annex Greenland to secure its interests in the Arctic does not stand up to scrutiny. "The USA already has a defence agreement with Denmark that gives them exclusive and full military access to Greenland," he wrote on X. "But they are not using it."

According to the MP, the US has downgraded its presence by 99%. "Now, apparently, they are telling their base that they need to invade and annex Greenland because they need to have a large military presence."

Jarlov's statement dismantles the Trump administration's whole premise that it needs Greenland to counter rivals such as China and Russia. 

On Wednesday, the White House said that Trump is discussing "a range of options" to acquire Greenland, including the use of the military. "President Trump has made it well known that acquiring Greenland is a national security priority of the United States, and it's vital to deter our adversaries in the Arctic region," said Trump's press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

"The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilising the US military is always an option at the commander in chief's disposal," she added.

There is growing interest from Russia and China in Greenland, which has untapped rare earth deposits, as melting ice raises the possibility of new trade routes, the BBC reported on Wednesday.

Denmark's leadership has repeatedly countered the claim that Washington lacks security access in the Arctic. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, too, has pointed to long-standing defence agreements that already grant the US extensive rights in Greenland. 

She recently referred to the 1951 Defence of Greenland Agreement, updated in 2004, which provides the US military with access and operational rights in Greenland, including the use of bases such as Pituffik Space Base. The agreement dates back to World War II and allows US forces to construct and operate facilities and conduct military activities without paying rent.

Denmark and the US - both part of NATO - also signed a Defence Cooperation Agreement in 2023, ratified in 2025, allowing for a permanent US military presence at Danish air bases such as Karup, Skrydstrup, and Aalborg to strengthen NATO deterrence. That agreement does not cover Greenland or the Faroe Islands.