Greenland's Parliament Ratifies Security Pact With US and Denmark

As of 8:27 a.m. ET, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026

Greenland's parliament on Tuesday ratified a security agreement with the United States and Denmark that paves the way for a bigger U.S. military presence on the Arctic island. The vote moves the deal one step from taking effect after a year of tension over President Donald Trump's push to control Greenland.

Lawmakers in Inatsisartut, the parliament in Nuuk, voted 16 in favor and none against, with seven abstentions, Reuters, DR and Sermitsiaq reported.

The agreement was signed Sept. 22 at the United Nations in New York by Trump, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenland's premier, Jens-Frederik Nielsen. It expands the U.S. military's role in Greenland, opening the way for two new U.S. bases and Trump's "Golden Dome" missile defense system, while reaffirming Danish sovereignty and Greenlanders' right to self-determination, Reuters reported. It also allows the U.S. to "modernise and expand" its activities at Pituffik Space Base in northwest Greenland, Al Jazeera and AP reported.

Greenland remains under Danish control under the deal, which would still apply if the island later chooses independence, according to Al Jazeera.

Next step: Denmark

The agreement does not take effect until Denmark's parliament, the Folketing, also approves it. Danish lawmakers are scheduled to give the bill a first reading on Nov. 12, followed by a second reading and a vote on Nov. 19, according to the Danish parliament's official record. The deal does not require approval from the U.S. Senate because it is being handled as an executive agreement, Reuters and DR reported.

"I'm happy. I'm relieved. It has been a long road," Greenland's foreign minister, Múte B. Egede, told DR after the vote. "Now we are just waiting for the Danish ratification process to be finished."

Before the vote, Egede told lawmakers, "We must accept that peace and stability are no longer something we can take for granted," according to Reuters.

Opposition criticism

The governing parties Inuit Ataqatigiit and Demokraatit, along with Atassut and one independent member, backed the deal, Sermitsiaq reported. Siumut did not take part in the vote because some members were away, but a Siumut lawmaker told Sermitsiaq the party fully supports the agreement.

The opposition party Naleraq, the leading voice for Greenland's independence, abstained, DR reported. It questioned what Greenland gains from the deal. "We are looking for a better agreement that we can benefit from when we become an independent state. But no economic benefit has been gained from the agreement," Naleraq chair Pele Broberg said, according to Reuters. Sermitsiaq reported the party had called for direct U.S. payment for Greenland's defense and more openness about the negotiations.

The session began in turmoil, DR reported. The government accused Naleraq of breaking confidentiality by citing information from a closed committee meeting in the debate, which Naleraq denies. Parliament's leadership filed a police report, and Naleraq then brought a no-confidence motion against Egede, according to DR.

Why it matters

The deal is meant to ease a standoff that began when Trump repeatedly said the U.S. needed Greenland for its security. In January, the White House said Trump was discussing options for acquiring the island, including possible use of the U.S. military, alarming European governments, Reuters reported. Opinion polls have shown most Greenlanders reject U.S. control, according to Al Jazeera.