US President Donald Trump has connected his demand for control over Greenland to not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. In a letter sent to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Trump said the decision not to award him the prize changed how he now thinks about peace and US interests.
On Saturday, he said the United States would impose 10% tariffs on Denmark and seven other European countries unless they agree to a deal handing Greenland to the US. Later, in a conversation with NBC, Trump was asked whether he would really move ahead with the tariffs if no deal is reached. Trump left little room for doubt. “I will, 100%,” he said.
Trump links Greenland demand to Nobel Peace Prize snub
“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,” Trump wrote in the letter, which was obtained by Bloomberg. He added, “Although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America.”
Trump went on saying, “The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland.” It is important to note that the Nobel Peace Prize is not decided by the Norwegian government. The award is chosen by an independent committee based in Norway.
Full text of Trump’s letter
“Dear Jonas: 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. Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a ‘right of ownership’ anyway? There are no written documents, it’s only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also. I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT” (via Bloomberg).
Tariff threats shake NATO allies
Trump’s remarks on Greenland have already caused major tension in Europe. Over the weekend, he warned that the US could impose tariffs on several European NATO members if he does not get control of Greenland.
The threat ruffled some feathers within NATO, which has long followed the US playbook. French President Emmanuel Macron called on the EU to activate its strongest retaliation tool in response. EU ambassadors met on Sunday to discuss possible countermeasures if Trump carries out his threats. These include tariffs on around €93 billion, or $108 billion, worth of American goods. European leaders are also set to meet for an emergency summit on Thursday.
Trump continued to defend his stance in a post on Truth Social on Monday. He claimed NATO has warned Denmark for years about security risks around Greenland. “NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that ‘you have to get the Russian threat away from Greenland,’” Trump wrote. “Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it. Now it is time, and it will be done!!!”
Nobel committee reacts after medal is handed to Trump
The Nobel Prize controversy deepened last week after Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado handed her medal to Trump. Trump has long said he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize and claims he resolved multiple wars during his second term.
Machado, a Venezuelan opposition leader, gave the medal to Trump during a meeting at the White House. Trump accepted it. The Norwegian Nobel Committee issued a statement clarifying that the prize cannot be transferred.
“The Nobel Prize and the laureate are inseparable,” the committee said on Friday. “Even if the medal or diploma later comes into someone else’s possession, this does not alter who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.”
In another post on social media on Sunday, the committee added that “a prize can therefore not, even symbolically, be passed on or further distributed.”