In a shocking turn of events, US President Donald Trump has directly linked his repeated threats to seize control of Greenland to his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize. In an extraordinary text message sent to the Norwegian Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, Trump stated that after being “snubbed” for the prestigious award, he no longer felt the need to think “purely of peace.”
The dispute over the Arctic island has plunged trade relations between the EU and the US into further chaos, forcing the bloc to consider retaliatory measures and risking the unraveling of the NATO transatlantic alliance. Trump has ramped up his push to grab Greenland, a largely self-governing part of Denmark, in recent weeks, stating that the US would take control of the island “one way or the other.”
The US President has refused to rule out the use of military force to seize the strategically important, mineral-rich island, despite the US already having a military base there and a bilateral agreement with Denmark allowing it to massively expand its presence. Trump’s actions have drawn widespread condemnation from European leaders, who have accused him of employing “blackmail” tactics.
In his message to Støre, Trump claimed that Denmark “cannot protect” Greenland from Russia or China, and questioned the country’s “right of ownership” over the island. He also stated that the world was “not secure” unless the US had “Complete and Total control of Greenland.”
The dispute has forced the EU to consider a package of retaliatory tariffs worth €93bn (£80bn) on US imports, as well as the use of its “anti-coercion instrument,” which has never been used before. German and French officials have denounced Trump’s tariff plans as “blackmail.”
As tensions continue to escalate, EU leaders are set to meet for an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday to discuss their response. Meanwhile, the Norwegian Prime Minister has announced that he will attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he is expected to cross paths with Trump.
The situation remains fluid, and the outcome of this geopolitical tug-of-war over Greenland could have far-reaching consequences for the transatlantic alliance and global trade.