NORAD said U.S. and Canadian aircraft will deploy to Pituffik Space Base in Greenland for long-planned exercises, and that Denmark coordinated the operations and Greenland’s government has been informed. Greenland is a self-governing territory of Denmark and is covered by NATO security guarantees; Denmark and the United States maintain defense arrangements granting U.S. access. President Trump has previously expressed interest in acquiring Greenland and, according to reports, has threatened tariffs against some allies that oppose the proposal.
NORAD Warplanes to Deploy to Greenland for Long-Planned Exercises; Denmark, Greenland Coordinated
Soldiers from the Danish army take part in live-fire training after their arrival in Greenland, on Sunday, January 18, 2026. photo by Danish Defence Command/UPI
NORAD announced that U.S. and Canadian warplanes are scheduled to arrive at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland to take part in long-planned activities, the binational North American Aerospace Defense Command said Tuesday.
In a statement posted to X, NORAD said the aircraft will support "various long-planned NORAD activities, building on the enduring defense cooperation between the United States and Canada, as well as the Kingdom of Denmark."
"This activity has been coordinated with the Kingdom of Denmark, and all supporting forces operate with the requisite diplomatic clearances," the statement said.
"The Government of Greenland is also informed of planned activities."
Pituffik Space Base (formerly Thule Air Base) is a U.S. Space Force facility in northern Greenland that hosts long-standing U.S. and allied activities in the Arctic. NORAD emphasized these are planned, routine exercises intended to strengthen joint defense cooperation.
Greenland is a self-governing territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. Denmark is a NATO member, and the alliance's security guarantees extend to Greenland. Denmark and the United States also maintain defense arrangements that provide U.S. forces with access to facilities on the island.
President Donald Trump has previously expressed interest in acquiring Greenland—an idea that drew strong rebukes from Danish and other European officials. According to the reporting referenced in the original article, Trump has, at times, threatened trade measures against allied countries that oppose his proposals; those threats were described as including tariffs on several NATO partners.
Trump has also made public remarks explaining his interest in the island. In recent comments quoted by the article, he said, "I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of peace," and, when speaking about Greenland, added, "We have to have it. They can't protect it." These remarks drew criticism from European capitals that defended Denmark's sovereignty over Greenland.
NORAD reiterated that the planned deployments were coordinated with Danish authorities and that Greenland's government was informed. Officials characterized the activity as part of routine, long-standing defense cooperation in the Arctic rather than a unilateral move to change Greenland's political status.
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