Pituffik Space Base (formerly Thule Air Base)

America's northernmost military base, critical to missile defense and nuclear early warning. - Strategic early-warning and space surveillance facility

President Trump's dramatic January 21 reversal—withdrawing tariff threats and ruling out military force after announcing a "framework" with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte—defused an unprecedented crisis within the Atlantic alliance. The framework centers on Arctic security cooperation, U.S. access to Greenland's rare earth minerals (the world's eighth-largest reserves at 1.5 million metric tons), and deployment of Trump's proposed "Golden Dome" missile defense system—a $175-831 billion multilayered shield against hypersonic threats. NATO clarified Rutte "did not propose any compromise to sovereignty," framing the deal as collective efforts to prevent Russian or Chinese Arctic footholds. By January 29, Secretary of State Rubio announced technical talks through the agreed working group had begun, calling them "a regular process" and expressing optimism: "We've got a little bit of work to do, but I think we're going to wind up in a good place."

Updated Jan 30

The northernmost U.S. military installation, 750 miles north of the Arctic Circle, hosting missile warning and space surveillance missions. - Operational

The United States has not acquired sovereign territory since 1917, when it purchased the Virgin Islands from Denmark for $25 million. Now, after President Trump announced on January 17 that he will impose 10% tariffs on eight European nations starting February 1—escalating to 25% by June 1 unless a deal is reached for Greenland—the transatlantic alliance faces its gravest crisis since World War II. In an unprecedented show of unity, the leaders of Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom issued a joint statement condemning the tariffs as undermining transatlantic relations and risking a 'dangerous downward spiral.' An estimated 10,000 Danes and 5,000 Greenlanders—nearly 10% of Greenland's population—protested in the streets. On January 19, Trump sent a letter to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre stating he no longer felt an 'obligation to think purely of Peace' after the Norwegian Nobel Committee did not award him the Nobel Peace Prize, explicitly linking his perceived snub to his Greenland demands.

Updated Jan 20