All-female Senate delegation sets off for High North amid growing military tensions

An all-female, bipartisan delegation of U.S. senators is traveling to the Arctic on Friday to reaffirm America’s commitments to allies against the backdrop of escalating tensions in the High North.

Led by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, the group will visit Canada, Greenland , Norway and Iceland to “examine U.S. and allied Arctic security, infrastructure and research capabilities amid growing geopolitical competition in the region from Russia and China,” according to a press release.

The itinerary is set to include briefings at Pituffik Space Base in Greenland on Arctic defense and strategic competition in the region.

President Donald Trump’s administration has sought to expand Washington’s strategic footprint in Greenland. Earlier this year, Trump suggested that U.S. forces could seize the semiautonomous Danish territory on national security grounds.

His push elicited a sharp rebuke from officials in both Greenland and Denmark, with the latter rejecting any potential for negotiation or territorial acquisition. The episode also roiled relations between the Trump administration and traditional European allies more broadly.

The all-female delegation that sets off on Friday is also expected to meet with U.S. military personnel, Indigenous communities, allied officials, Arctic researchers and regional leaders on emerging operational and strategic dynamics across the region.

Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire make up the Democratic side of the delegation, while Sens. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Katie Britt of Alabama, and Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi represent the GOP.

Tanya Noury is a reporter for Military Times and Defense News, with coverage focusing on the White House and Pentagon.

一个由美国参议员组成的全女性、跨党派代表团将于周五前往北极，在北极地区紧张局势不断升级的背景下，重申美国对盟友的承诺。

据新闻稿称，由新罕布什尔州参议员珍妮·沙欣和阿拉斯加州共和党参议员丽莎·穆尔科斯基率领的该小组将访问加拿大、格陵兰岛、挪威和冰岛，以“在俄罗斯和中国在该地区日益激烈的地缘政治竞争中，考察美国及其盟国的北极安全、基础设施和研究能力”。

行程安排包括在格陵兰岛皮图菲克航天基地听取有关北极防御和该地区战略竞争的简报。

唐纳德·特朗普总统的政府一直试图扩大华盛顿在格陵兰岛的战略影响力。今年早些时候，特朗普曾暗示，美军可以以国家安全为由占领这个丹麦半自治领土。

他的举动招致了格陵兰和丹麦官员的强烈谴责，丹麦方面更是断然拒绝任何谈判或领土扩张的可能性。此事也进一步扰乱了特朗普政府与传统欧洲盟友之间的关系。

周五出发的全女性代表团预计还将与美国军方人员、原住民社区、盟国官员、北极研究人员和地区领导人会面，讨论该地区正在出现的作战和战略动态。

纽约州参议员克尔斯滕·吉利布兰德、内华达州参议员凯瑟琳·科尔特斯·马斯托和新罕布什尔州参议员玛吉·哈桑组成民主党代表团，而怀俄明州参议员辛西娅·卢米斯、阿拉巴马州参议员凯蒂·布里特和密西西比州参议员辛迪·海德-史密斯代表共和党。

Tanya Noury 是《军事时报》和《防务新闻》的记者，她的报道主要集中在白宫和五角大楼。