Secretary of State Marco Rubio has emphasized the importance of establishing additional U.S. military facilities in Greenland to counter growing threats from adversaries in the Arctic region.

The push comes as the United States, Denmark, and Greenland prepare to sign a new security agreement today at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The deal is expected to allow the reopening of a former Cold War-era base at Narsarsuaq in southern Greenland and the establishment of another site at Mestersvig on the east coast.

Rubio has previously described Greenland as critical for missile defense and collective security efforts involving NATO allies. In congressional testimony earlier this year, he noted ongoing discussions with Danish and Greenlandic officials about enhancing the island's role in Western defense.

The agreement builds on months of negotiations driven by President Trump's focus on Arctic security. It aims to give the United States permanent influence over defense matters on the island without transferring full sovereignty. Greenland currently hosts only one active U.S. installation, the Pituffik Space Base in the northwest, used primarily for missile warning and space surveillance.

During the Cold War, the United States operated up to 17 facilities in Greenland with thousands of personnel. The new arrangement would mark a significant expansion of that footprint to address Russian and Chinese activities in the region.

Danish officials have framed the pact as placing Arctic security under broader NATO oversight. Greenland's government has expressed willingness to cooperate on defense while protecting local interests.

The timing of the signing coincides with heightened global attention to Arctic resources and shipping routes amid melting ice caps. Rubio has stressed that the deal secures American interests at no additional cost to taxpayers while excluding adversaries from establishing a presence there.

This development follows earlier statements from the administration underscoring Greenland's role in deterring threats to North America. The expanded bases are expected to support enhanced monitoring and rapid response capabilities in a strategically vital area.