NATO warships conducted joint exercises off the U.S. East Coast this week, highlighting the alliance’s military cohesion even as political tensions over defense spending and Washington’s long-term commitment continue to test transatlantic relations.
The exercises formed part of FLEETEX 250, a series of U.S.-hosted military drills focused on homeland defense and held alongside celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the United States.
Reuters was granted exclusive access Friday to one of the naval exercises, where European and North American forces rehearsed maritime security operations, anti-submarine warfare and simulated boarding missions in waters about 40 nautical miles off the North Carolina coast.
During one exercise, Norwegian Lt. Thomas Johannsen prepared to lead a boarding team against a simulated cargo vessel suspected of smuggling. Before issuing instructions, his crew briefly intercepted unrelated radio traffic from another vessel conducting nearby military drills.
After switching to a clear communications channel, Johannsen instructed the target vessel to halt and accept the NATO boarding team as part of the exercise.
The drills come at a sensitive moment for the alliance after President Donald Trump renewed criticism of NATO members for failing to contribute more to collective defense while the Pentagon reviews the future size of the U.S. military presence in Europe.
Meeting NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte last week, Trump criticized several major European allies, including Britain, France, Germany and Spain, over their level of support during the recent U.S. military campaign involving Iran.
“We’re disappointed with most of them,” Trump said.
Former NATO intelligence official David Cattler said the exercises demonstrated that European militaries remain capable of defending both Europe and North America but questioned whether such displays would influence policymakers in Washington.
“It’s hard for me to see,” Cattler said.
Trump has long argued that European countries should assume greater responsibility for their own security, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently announced a six-month Pentagon review that could result in a reduction of U.S. forces stationed across Europe.
The debate intensified after reports that Pentagon officials considered suspending Spain from aspects of military cooperation because Madrid declined to grant U.S. forces access to bases and airspace during operations targeting Iran.
Despite those disagreements, Spanish Marines participated in amphibious assault drills during FLEETEX 250, while French Marines joined heavy weapons training at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
Defense analysts said the continued cooperation reflected the distinction between political disputes and longstanding military partnerships that remain deeply integrated.
Retired Marine officer Mark Cancian of the Center for Strategic and International Studies said operational cooperation continues unless political leaders specifically direct otherwise.
“Absent any intervention that would tell them to stop, they’re gonna continue to do it,” Cancian said. “This is just NATO being NATO.”
Reuters joined Standing NATO Maritime Group One, commanded by British Commodore Maryla Ingham, whose multinational task force includes frigates from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Turkey.
The journalists reached the task group aboard a Canadian military helicopter before landing on the flight deck of a Norwegian frigate operating off the U.S. coastline.
Ingham noted that her multinational force normally operates in northern European waters, particularly around the Arctic and Baltic Sea, where Russian military activity remains a primary focus.
“This area doesn’t require as much patrolling because there isn’t as much threat here,” she said.
Norwegian frigate commander Stian Buunk said operating alongside the U.S. Navy offered valuable opportunities to conduct realistic training, including recent air-defense exercises involving F/A-18 fighter aircraft and unmanned aerial systems.
“We had anti-air warfare exercises two days ago with F-18s. We had drones coming in,” Buunk said. “And that makes it very realistic.”
Norway’s contribution to NATO is particularly valued in anti-submarine warfare, and one exercise tasked its forces with detecting, tracking and driving away a U.S. submarine acting as an opposing force.
Asked how his crew performed, Buunk smiled before offering a restrained assessment.
“This ship is built for anti-submarine warfare,” he said. “So, yah.”
Ingham said each NATO member contributes specialized capabilities, pointing to Belgium’s expertise in mine countermeasures as another example of complementary strengths within the alliance.
“We are demonstrating both the flexibility in the reach of our unit, but also our ability to seamlessly operate alongside the Americans,” she said.
The boarding exercise centered on a fictional smuggling operation involving a cargo ship from the imaginary country of Pyropia. The vessel was actually a U.S. Navy training support ship.
Before boarding, Norwegian sailors cleared their weapons for safety and asked the crew whether any weapons or animals were aboard.
“We had a goat. But we eat goat. So now, no more goat,” came the response over the radio.
Boarding team leader Lt. Erik Aasen later reported discovering mock rifles, bags of simulated narcotics and fictional currency during the search, successfully completing the exercise.
Aasen said it was his first boarding mission outside Norwegian waters and praised the opportunity to train closely with American forces.
“They have a lot of other experiences,” he said.
Defense analysts cautioned that any future reduction of U.S. forces in Europe could eventually result in fewer multinational exercises, potentially affecting interoperability among allied militaries.
Cancian, however, suggested political resistance in Congress could limit any significant reductions, noting bipartisan concern earlier this year when the Pentagon temporarily suspended planned troop rotations to Poland and the Baltic states.
“The president can do it, but there’s clearly a political price,” he said.
