PANews reported on April 1st that, according to The New York Times, the US military is intensifying its efforts to gain more access rights in Greenland, a move that indicates Trump's interest in the vast Arctic island remains strong. According to Gregory M. Guilloch, a senior Pentagon official and commander of US Northern Command, the US is negotiating with Denmark for access to three additional bases in Greenland, including two previously relinquished by the US. This would mark the first time in decades that the US has expanded its presence there. The Danish government has cited the 1951 Danish-US Defense Agreement to counter Trump's threats, pointing out that the US already possesses broad military access rights, and that US officials are now using the same agreement to formulate expansion plans. The 1951 Defense Agreement and its 2004 update grant the US a dominant position, requiring it to "consult and inform the Danish and Greenlandic authorities" before making significant adjustments to its military deployments. Scholars point out that this effectively means the US can act almost unilaterally, then notify Denmark and Greenland.