Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store revealed on Monday that he received a startling message from US President Donald Trump. The American leader warned of rising tensions over Greenland and made a pointed reference to the Nobel Peace Prize.
Trump's Nobel Complaint and Greenland Ultimatum
According to PBS, which first reported the message, Trump wrote directly to Prime Minister Store. The US President expressed his frustration about not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize. He linked this directly to his stance on Greenland.
"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 message.
The American leader then delivered his ultimatum: "The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland."
Prime Minister Store confirmed receiving a text from Trump but declined to share the exact contents. The White House has not responded to requests for comment about the message.
Norway's Firm Response and Nobel Clarification
Store explained that Trump's message came as a reply to earlier communication. The Norwegian leader had joined with Finnish President Alexander Stubb to oppose new US tariffs and call for de-escalation.
The Norwegian Prime Minister made his country's position crystal clear. "Norway's position on Greenland is clear. Greenland is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and Norway fully supports the Kingdom of Denmark on this matter," Store stated firmly.
Addressing the Nobel issue directly, Store added: "As regards the Nobel Peace Prize, I have clearly explained, including to President Trump, what is well known — the prize is awarded by an independent Nobel Committee and not the Norwegian government."
The Norwegian Nobel Committee operates independently with members appointed by parliament, not the government.
Tariff Threats Escalate Tensions
Trump announced new 10% import taxes on Saturday. These tariffs target goods from eight countries including Norway. They are scheduled to take effect in February.
The US President says these measures aim to force European countries into talks about Greenland. European leaders have criticized the move sharply.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer tried to calm the situation on Monday. He expressed confidence that the crisis would not escalate into military action.
"I think this can be resolved and should be resolved through calm discussion," Starmer told reporters.
The British leader called Trump's tariff threat "completely wrong" but warned against escalation. "A trade war is in no one's interest," he emphasized.
Greenland's Defiant Stance
Tensions have reached the streets of Greenland. Thousands of Greenlanders marched over the weekend to protest any attempt to take over their island.
Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen remained firm despite the pressure. He declared that tariff threats would not change their position.
"We will not be pressured," Nielsen wrote on Facebook. "We stand firm on dialogue, on respect, and on international law."
European Response and NATO Meeting
Six of the eight countries facing new US tariffs are European Union members. European Council President António Costa said EU leaders expressed "readiness to defend ourselves against any form of coercion."
The bloc plans to convene a summit later this week to discuss their response.
Britain, which left the EU, does not currently plan retaliatory tariffs. Starmer explained: "My focus is on making sure we don't get to that stage."
Meanwhile, Denmark's defence minister and Greenland's foreign minister will meet NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in Brussels on Monday. This meeting was scheduled before the latest escalation.
Broader US-Europe Relations Strain
The Greenland dispute adds to existing tensions between the United States and Europe. Relations have been strained over multiple issues including:
- Ukraine conflict
- Trade disputes
- Defence spending disagreements
- Migration policy differences
Trump suggested the new tariffs respond to recent European troop deployments to Greenland. European governments describe these as planned Arctic security exercises related to concerns about Russia and China.
Starmer summarized the European position clearly: "Being pragmatic does not mean being passive, and partnership does not mean abandoning principles."
The message from Trump to Norway's Prime Minister has now been forwarded to several European ambassadors in Washington. This ensures all key European leaders understand the American President's position regarding Greenland and his Nobel Peace Prize grievance.
