Thousands of U.S. Marines are deploying to Norway this month to begin training for a NATO military exercise as President Donald Trump’s push to control Greenland continues to unsettle European leaders.
The Norwegian-led drills, called Cold Response 26, will test the alliance’s ability to operate in the Arctic.
“This exercise isn’t just about preparing for today’s threats,” Maj. Gen. Daniel L. Shipley, commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa, said in a statement. “It’s about building the capabilities and strengthening the capacity necessary to deter future aggression and safeguard our shared interests.”
Around 3,000 Marines from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, will be joined by more than 25,000 personnel from Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom, according to the release.
Additional U.S. forces deploying with the Marines include special operations units, a Navy Seabee detachment and a range of Air Force aircraft, such as F-35A Lightning IIs, KC-135 Stratotankers and HH60W Jolly Green IIs.
The commanding general of the 2nd Marine Division said the U.S. presence in these exercises reinforces its longstanding commitment to the alliance.
“This means ensuring every domain is synchronized to support the warfighter on the ground and to provide our NATO partners with the decisive combat power they need, when they need it,” Maj. Gen. Farrell J. Sullivan said. “This exercise is about more than just technology; it’s about forging the habits of discipline and trust that define true combat readiness, and it demonstrates our unwavering commitment to the collective defense of this Alliance.”
Cold Response 26 is set to take place in March.
The drills, meanwhile, will get underway against a backdrop of uncertainty about the future of transatlantic relations.
Trump, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Wednesday, asserted the United States “won’t use force” to acquire Greenland, but maintained he was seeking “immediate negotiations” on the acquisition of the territory.
Trump emphasized he wants “a piece of ice for world protection, and they won’t give it.”
He added that he would be “very appreciative” if the world agreed to his plan to seize the island. “Or,” the president added, “you can say no and we will remember.”
In a wide-ranging address, Trump also cast doubt on NATO’s commitment to defending the U.S., suggesting there was an imbalance in how the alliance operates.
“The problem with NATO is that we’ll be there for them 100%,” he said. ”But I’m not sure that they’ll be there for us.”
NATO Chief Mark Rutte pushed back on Trump’s claim, insisting the alliance would stand by Washington if the U.S. were ever attacked again — just as it did after Sept. 11, 2001.
“You can be assured, absolutely, if ever the U.S. will be under attack, your allies will be with you,” Rutte said.
French President Emmanuel Macron, in a pointed rebuke of Trump’s threats on Greenland, said Europe would not yield to “bullies” or tolerate the erosion of the “rule of law.”
France subsequently called for a NATO military exercise in Greenland, according to a statement from the Élysée.
The declaration comes after several European nations deployed troops to Greenland under Denmark’s Operation Arctic Endurance in what was described as a reconnaissance mission.
Tanya Noury is a reporter for Military Times and Defense News, with coverage focusing on the White House and Pentagon.
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