Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre pushed back against U.S. President Donald Trump’s criticism of NATO, stressing that the alliance provides real and critical security value to the United States. Speaking in Oslo on February 2, 2026, Støre revealed that Norway closely monitors Russia’s nuclear submarine activity near its borders and shares vital intelligence directly with Washington. He emphasized that NATO cooperation in the Arctic and northern Europe is driven by mutual strategic interest, not charity. Støre confirmed major upcoming military exercises involving 25,000 troops across northern Norway and Finland, including large U.S. and French contingents.