In a surprising move, US President Donald Trump has claimed that he no longer feels obligated to prioritize peace, following Norway’s decision not to award him the Nobel Peace Prize. In a message to Norway’s Prime Minister, Trump blamed the country for this perceived snub, stating that he had “stopped 8 Wars PLUS” and that the “World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland.”
The message, obtained by US media outlets, further revealed Trump’s belief that Denmark cannot protect Greenland from the influence of Russia or China, and questioned the island’s “right of ownership.” The President also threatened to impose a 10% tariff on goods from eight NATO allies starting in February, which could potentially rise to 25% by June, if they oppose his proposed takeover of Greenland.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre of Norway confirmed that he had received the text message from Trump, which was sent in response to a communication he and Finland’s President Alexander Stubb had sent to the US President. Støre noted that an independent committee, not the Norwegian government, is responsible for awarding the Nobel Peace Prize.
The ongoing dispute over Greenland has sparked concerns within the NATO alliance. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stated that any decision regarding Greenland’s future “belongs to the people of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark alone,” and called the use of tariffs against allies “wrong.”
Meanwhile, Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen and Greenlandic Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Motzfeldt are scheduled to meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Monday to discuss the increased military presence and exercise activity in the Arctic and North Atlantic regions.
Trump’s claims of ending eight wars since the start of his second term have been scrutinized, with the BBC’s “Verify” team finding that many of these “wars” were short-lived conflicts or long-standing tensions, rather than full-scale wars. The President’s decision to back Maduro’s vice-president as the interim head of government in Venezuela, rather than supporting the Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado, has also raised questions about his foreign policy priorities.
As the dispute over Greenland continues to unfold, the international community will be closely watching the actions and rhetoric of the US President, who appears to be shifting his focus away from the pursuit of peace and towards more aggressive economic and geopolitical objectives.