Oslo/Paris – U.S. President Donald Trump has declared he no longer feels bound to focus solely on peace, linking his stance to Norway’s role in the Nobel Peace Prize process and his ongoing demand for U.S. control over Greenland.
In a text message sent Sunday to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere — released publicly by Norway’s government on Monday — Trump wrote: “Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America.”
Nobel Snub and Shift in Focus
Trump referenced the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado rather than himself, despite his claims of halting multiple conflicts.
He tied this perceived slight to his willingness to prioritise U.S. interests over pure peacemaking.
The message responded to Stoere’s earlier call — co-signed with Finnish President Alexander Stubb — for de-escalation amid rising transatlantic tensions.
Greenland Control and Tariff Threats
Trump reiterated his insistence on “Complete and Total Control” of Greenland, arguing the Arctic island’s strategic importance for global security against threats from Russia and China.
He questioned Denmark’s “right of ownership” and dismissed recent Danish military presence there.
Trump has threatened escalating tariffs starting February 1 on several NATO allies — including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, and Britain — unless a deal allows U.S. acquisition of the sparsely populated territory (home to about 57,000 people).
The comments have heightened concerns over NATO cohesion and potential trade war revival.
EU leaders are preparing retaliatory measures, including tariffs on up to $108 billion in U.S. imports or activation of the Anti-Coercion Instrument.
Trump is set to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos this week, where European officials plan engagements to address the dispute.
Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen insisted the territory’s future must be decided by its people, rejecting external pressure.