United States President Donald Trump has told Norway’s prime minister that he no longer feels obligated to think purely of peace after failing to win the Nobel Peace Prize, linking the perceived snub to his escalating demands for control of Greenland.
In a text message to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre on Sunday, Trump wrote that considering Norway decided not to give him the prize for having stopped eight wars, he no longer feels 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.
The message, which was later confirmed by Støre and obtained by multiple news outlets including Bloomberg and PBS, concluded that the world is not secure unless the US has complete and total control of Greenland.
Støre revealed Monday that he received the message in response to an earlier text he sent jointly with Finnish President Alexander Stubb opposing Trump’s announcement on Saturday of 10 percent import tariffs on eight European nations starting in February. The tariffs are part of Trump’s pressure campaign to force talks over acquiring Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark.
In their message to Trump, the two European leaders suggested a telephone conversation among the three to de-escalate tensions. Støre explained in a statement that Norway’s position on Greenland is clear, noting that Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and Norway fully supports Denmark on this matter.
The Norwegian prime minister emphasized that the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by an independent Norwegian Nobel Committee and not the Norwegian government. The committee is an independent body whose five members are appointed by the Norwegian Parliament.
It remains unclear why Trump directed his grievance to the Norwegian government rather than acknowledging the committee’s independence. During a phone interview with NBC News on Monday, Trump again claimed the Norwegian government has control over the prize, stating that Norway totally controls it despite what they say.
The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded in October to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.
Machado presented her prize medal to Trump during a White House meeting on January 15, following the US military raid on January 3 that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. More than 100 people were reportedly killed during Operation Absolute Resolve, according to Venezuelan authorities.
Trump confirmed on his Truth Social platform that Machado had left the medal for him to keep, calling it a wonderful gesture of mutual respect. The Norwegian Nobel Committee later clarified that a medal can change owners, but the title of a Nobel Peace Prize laureate cannot be shared or transferred.
Trump has long coveted the prize and repeatedly suggested he deserves to win it for his foreign policy achievements. Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025, Trump claimed he ended seven wars and stated everyone says he should get the prize.
The wars he claimed to have ended include conflicts between Cambodia and Thailand, Kosovo and Serbia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, Pakistan and India, Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, and Armenia and Azerbaijan. Analysts and observers have questioned these claims, noting that several of these conflicts remain active.
In the full text of his message to Støre, which was forwarded to multiple European ambassadors in Washington according to two European officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, Trump wrote that Denmark cannot protect Greenland from Russia or China and questioned Denmark’s right of ownership.
He added that he has done more for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization than any other person since its founding, and now NATO should do something for the United States. Trump claimed there are no written documents proving Denmark’s ownership, only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, though the US had boats landing there also.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended Trump’s approach during a media briefing at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He insisted the president is looking at Greenland as a strategic asset for the United States and that America will not outsource its hemispheric security to anyone else.
The European Union announced it will hold an emergency summit on Thursday to discuss how to respond to Trump’s threats. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated in a social media post that the bloc has no interest to pick a fight but will hold its ground.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer sought to de-escalate tensions on Monday, even as other European nations issued forceful rebukes to the tariff announcement. The eight countries facing tariffs include Norway, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, Germany, France, and the Netherlands.
Trump’s Greenland ambitions have ratcheted up tensions between Washington and its closest NATO allies. The president has refused to rule out using military force to acquire the Arctic territory, which is rich in natural resources and strategically important for US national security interests.
Greenland, which has a population of approximately 57,000 people, has been under Danish sovereignty since 1721 but gained self-governance in 1979. The territory controls its own domestic affairs while Denmark manages defense and foreign policy.
Thousands of Greenlanders marched in protest last week against Trump’s threats to take over the island. Greenland’s Prime Minister Mute Egede has repeatedly stated that Greenland is not for sale and belongs to Greenlanders.
Denmark dispatched military personnel to Greenland following Trump’s escalating rhetoric. The Danish government has expressed bewilderment at Trump’s demands and reaffirmed its commitment to defending Greenland’s sovereignty within the Kingdom of Denmark.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has called for unity among alliance members amid the crisis, warning that divisions could weaken the alliance at a time when it faces growing security challenges from Russia and China.
Trump’s message to Støre represents the latest chapter in the president’s long-standing obsession with both Greenland and the Nobel Peace Prize. During his first term from 2017 to 2021, Trump floated the idea of purchasing Greenland, prompting widespread ridicule and a sharp rebuke from Danish officials.
The president’s fixation on the Nobel Prize dates back even further. In 2018, Trump claimed that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had nominated him for the prize, though the Nobel Committee never publicly confirmed this.
Former President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009, less than a year into his first term, for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples. The award to Obama, who defeated Trump’s political ambitions multiple times, is believed to have intensified Trump’s desire for the recognition.
When asked during a Monday interview whether he would use force to seize Greenland, Trump replied with no comment, refusing to rule out military action.
