COPENHAGEN — Denmark’s Parliament has approved a landmark defense agreement allowing the United States to build military bases, deploy troops, and store weapons on Danish soil — a move that comes amid renewed geopolitical tension and domestic unease, reported by Austrian News Agency.
The defense deal, originally signed in December 2023, predates Donald Trump’s return to the White House but has gained fresh scrutiny as U.S.-Danish relations cool, particularly over Trump’s persistent interest in Greenland. His Vice President, JD Vance, underscored that interest during a controversial visit to the U.S. military base at Pituffik in remote northern Greenland this spring, where he openly criticized Denmark — a NATO ally — in front of U.S. troops.
The agreement has sparked backlash within Denmark, particularly from left-green opposition parties and human rights groups. Critics warn it grants the U.S. excessive influence over Danish territory and lacks sufficient oversight by Danish authorities.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen defended the decision, emphasizing the need for transatlantic solidarity in a time of global uncertainty. “The problem isn’t too much U.S. presence in Europe,” she told Danish media. “The risk is that they pull back—especially from Ukraine.”
In Berlin, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz offered Denmark vocal support in the Greenland dispute. “Borders are not negotiable,” Merz said after meeting Frederiksen, reaffirming that Germany stands firmly with Denmark on matters of sovereignty.
Frederiksen, too, drew a line in the Arctic snow. “I believe President Trump is serious about Greenland — but so are we,” she said. “Sovereignty is not optional. Greenland’s future must be decided by its own people.”
The agreement opens a new chapter in U.S.-Danish defense ties but deepens an uneasy dialogue about power, sovereignty, and Arctic ambition.
