Major opposition parties in Denmark's parliament, the Folketing, have broadly supported the deal Denmark is "happy and relaxed" with the newly signed Greenland agreement with the US, but remains aware that circumstances could shift when dealing with President Donald Trump, a senior Danish lawmaker said.

“We are very happy and relaxed but we are very much aware that things can change when it comes to dealing with Trump," Karsten Honge told Anadolu. “It is a good deal but as long as President Trump abides by it," he added.

Honge, chair of the Danish parliament's Foreign Policy Committee, was in New York as part of the Danish prime minister's delegation to last week's UN General Assembly. He was also present at theg of the agreement on the sidelines of the gathering.

The agreement, signed in late September by the US, Denmark and Greenland, updates a 1951 defense pact and expands the US military presence in Greenland, while also strengthening NATO's role in Arctic security.

It came after months of tensions sparked by Trump's repeated calls for US control or ownership of Greenland.

The lawmaker said that the Danish delegation is proud of the Greenland agreement as it shows that “small states like Denmark and Greenland could match the US when it comes to negotiations.”The Kingdom of Denmark (Danish Realm), consists of Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands.

Denmark is the sovereign state, while Greenland and the Faroe Islands are self-governing parts of the Realm, each with its own parliament and government and extensive authority over domestic matters.

Greenland has had self-government since 2009 but Denmark retains responsibility for areas such as foreign policy, defense and security. Military bases and NATO role The Danish lawmaker said that the most important part in the agreement is that the sovereignty of Denmark and Greenland remains untouched.

“The other very important part is that now NATO can play a much bigger part in defending and surveillance of Greenland. It is now a written agreement that it is in the interest of the US, Denmark, Greenland and NATO and world peace that we have to match Russia and China,” he said.

On US military bases in Greenland, he said the new agreement does not create a US military presence from scratch.

US military presence in Greenland dates back to 1951, when Denmark and the US signed the Greenland Defense Agreement, allowing Washington to maintain three main bases — Thule, Narsarsuaq and Sondrestrom — and establish additional “defense areas” if NATO deemed necessary.

The US later closed all its bases in Greenland except Thule, now known as Pituffik Space Base. In 2004, the Igaliku Agreement amended the 1951 pact and gave Greenland greater influence over matters concerning the base.

The latest agreement allows the US to modernize and expand its activities at Pituffik and establish additional defense areas at Narsarsuaq and Mestersvig.

Greater say in economic matters The latest deal with Trump also gives Washington greater control over Greenland, in particular sensitive foreign investments.

“Now the US has the right to oversee what kind of investments will happen in Greenland," Honge said. He said the agreement introduces US screening of companies and countries seeking to invest in Greenland’s mining sector, including provisions barring US adversaries from establishing a military presence on the island.

Broad support from opposition Denmark's Liberal Party's (Venstre) leader Troels Lund Poulsen called it "an exceptionally good agreement” and a happy day for Greenland, Denmark and the Realm. Conservative leader Mona Juul praised it in a Facebook post, crediting the diplomatic work behind it. Denmark Democrats leader Inger Stojberg, a vocal critic of the government, also praised the deal for safeguarding Danish sovereignty and cementing NATO's presence. The Danish People's Party was more guarded. Leader Morten Messerschmidt said it remains "dangerous for a country like Denmark to submit to threats," a reference to his earlier criticism of the January working group.

Days later he softened his tone, saying that he hopes it closes the chapter between Trump and Denmark. The agreement will soon be put to vote in both Inatsisartut, Greenland's parliament, and the Folketing. Thanking friendly nations Honge gave credit to the countries who stood up for Denmark in the tense negotiation period with the US.

“Denmark succeeded in building a lot of alliances along with Greenland and in doing that European countries and Canada stood up and showed solidarity.

“That made a big impression in the public opinion in the US because now they say that it was not just Greenland and Denmark but countries like Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. “If Trump had taken Greenland as he had threatened to do it would have been really dangerous for all small states,” he said.

On the months-long negotiations leading to the deal, he said: "All I can say is that it was tough work, it took a long time, and nobody knew where this would end.”The negotiations began after a diplomatic crisis in January and continued for about eight months.

He said there were doubts about whether the negotiations would ultimately succeed. However, he noted that one positive development during the tense negotiations was that Denmark was able to successfully build alliances with a number of countries.

The US, Denmark and Greenland signed the agreement on Sept. 22 on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, with the deal aimed at strengthening security in the Arctic and North Atlantic.

Trump said it gives the US “permanent control over security and all other needs” in Greenland, while Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stressed that the agreement reaffirms the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenlanders’ right to self-determination.

The agreement also allows for consideration of a US Golden Dome missile defense system in Greenland, although Frederiksen said no decision had been made on its scope.