Trump says US to build two major military bases in Greenland

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Washington would build two major military bases in Greenland under a new agreement with Denmark, telling the UN General Assembly (UNGA) the deal would give the US "permanent control" over the Arctic territory's security.

“We will immediately begin the process of developing a large military presence in the appropriate locations. We will be building two very major military bases,” Trump said in remarks at the UNGA in New York on Tuesday.

Trump said the agreement, reached with the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland, gave the US “permanent control over the security and all other needs” in the territory.

Read: US, Denmark, Greenland to sign security deal

He said the arrangement would give Washington “the complete ability to do what is necessary to defend the American continent, and also Europe and other places.”

“No US adversary will ever be permitted to establish a military presence in Greenland anymore, or make sensitive investments there without our express written approval,” he said.

Trump said the agreement would be signed later on Tuesday on the sidelines of the UNGA in New York and praised Denmark and Greenland, saying the parties had “really formed a bond” during negotiations.

Read More: Trump deal won't compromise 'sovereignty'

Greenland, a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, has attracted US interest due to its strategic location and vast mineral resources.

The agreement came after Trump repeatedly expressed his desire to take control of Greenland for strategic and historical reasons, pointing to China and Russia's interest in and growing presence in the region.