Former US President Donald Trump has linked his renewed demand for US control of Greenland to what he described as an unjust denial of the Nobel Peace Prize, saying he no longer feels obligated to think “purely of peace.”
In a text message to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, obtained by US media, Trump blamed Norway for not awarding him the prize, despite claiming credit for ending “eight wars.”
“Considering your country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped eight wars, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of peace,” Trump wrote, adding that “the world is not secure unless we have complete and total control of Greenland.”
CBS News confirmed the authenticity of the message.
Prime Minister Støre said he received the message on Sunday after he and Finnish President Alexander Stubb contacted Trump to oppose proposed US tariff hikes linked to the Greenland dispute and to urge de-escalation. Støre stressed that the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by an independent committee, not the Norwegian government.
Trump has repeatedly argued that the US must take control of the resource-rich Arctic island for national security reasons, citing its strategic location for missile warning systems and Arctic surveillance. He has again said he wants to buy Greenland and has not ruled out the use of military force against a NATO ally to achieve the goal.
Over the weekend, Trump threatened to impose a 10% tariff on goods from eight NATO countries in February if they oppose the takeover, warning the rate could rise to 25% by June.
In his message, Trump questioned Denmark’s claim to Greenland, arguing it could not protect the territory from Russia or China. He also claimed to have done more for NATO than any leader since its founding.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said any decision on Greenland’s future “belongs to the people of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark alone,” calling the use of tariffs against allies “wrong.”
Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen and Greenlandic Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Motzfeldt are scheduled to meet NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte amid heightened military activity in the Arctic. NATO allies have recently increased troop deployments and surveillance exercises in the region.
Trump has claimed to have ended eight wars since returning to office, though BBC Verify has questioned the accuracy of those assertions, noting that several conflicts were short-lived or unresolved.
The Nobel Peace Prize was ultimately awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who later met Trump at the White House and presented him with her medal. The Nobel Foundation has said the prize cannot be transferred or shared.
Source: BBC