US, Denmark, Greenland agree on island's future

US President Donald Trump announced Friday he has a deal with Denmark to bolster the US military presence in Greenland after months of threatening to take the island by force from the NATO ally - an agreement that also keeps the Arctic territory in Denmark's hands.

Trump in a social media post announcing the deal said the agreement "gives the United States permanent control over security, and all other needs, in Greenland, completely addressing ALL of our many U.S. concerns."

He added that with the agreement his administration would "immediately" begin the process of developing a larger military presence on the mineral-rich Danish territory.

The office of Denmark's prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, said the deal will be signed by all three governments next week during the United Nations General Assembly, but parliamentary action is still needed by the Danish and Greenland governments before it can be enforced.

Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the emerging deal benefits all three governments and "recognizes Greenland's interests and our place in the international cooperation."

With his return to the White House last year, Trump called on Denmark to sell the island to the United States, while insisting Greenland is crucial for US security.

He pointedly wouldn't rule out taking the island by military force, even though Denmark is a NATO ally of the US

Denmark and Greenland repeatedly said the island is not for sale and condemned reports of the US gathering intelligence there.

The US push for Greenland was also fiercely opposed by Russia and much of Europe.