U.S. President Donald Trump has privately linked his increasingly aggressive posture toward Greenland to his failure to secure the Nobel Peace Prize last year, according to European officials familiar with the exchange, a revelation that has intensified diplomatic tensions between Washington and several of its closest allies.
The comments were contained in a message Trump sent to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, in which the U.S. leader suggested that Norway’s Nobel decision had altered his outlook on international affairs. Two European officials said Trump wrote that he no longer felt “an obligation to think purely of Peace,” while insisting that U.S. control of Greenland was essential to global security. The message, shared among European diplomats in Washington, was first reported by PBS and later detailed by Fortune and the Associated Press.
Greenland, a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, has become the focal point of a sharp transatlantic dispute after Trump renewed threats to bring the Arctic island under U.S. control. The island is strategically significant due to its location between North America and Europe, its proximity to emerging Arctic shipping routes, and its vast reserves of critical minerals increasingly important for defence and green technologies.
Over the weekend, Trump announced a 10% import tariff on goods from eight countries that have publicly backed Denmark and Greenland, including Norway. The tariffs are due to take effect in February and have been framed by European governments as economic coercion tied directly to the Greenland issue. Six of the targeted states are members of the European Union, prompting warnings from Brussels about a coordinated response if the measures proceed.
Norwegian Prime Minister Støre confirmed that he received a text message from Trump but declined to disclose its contents in full. He reiterated Norway’s position that Greenland remains part of the Kingdom of Denmark and stressed that the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by an independent committee, not the Norwegian government. “This is well known, including to President Trump,” Støre said, while adding that dialogue remained preferable to escalation.
Trump’s remarks have heightened concerns across Europe that the dispute could further strain relations already under pressure from disagreements over the war in Ukraine, defence spending, trade policy and migration. European Council President António Costa said EU leaders had expressed readiness to defend themselves against “any form of coercion,” announcing an emergency summit to discuss the tariffs and broader U.S. actions.
In Greenland itself, the reaction has been swift and public. Thousands of residents marched in Nuuk and other towns over the weekend, protesting any attempt to take over the island. Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said tariff threats would not alter the territory’s stance, writing on social media that Greenland “will not be pressured.” Naaja Nathanielsen, Greenland’s minister responsible for business, energy and minerals, told the Associated Press that the strong backing from allies showed the issue extended beyond Greenland alone, raising fears about precedent in international relations.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has sought to cool tensions, describing Trump’s tariff threats as “completely wrong” but stressing that a trade war would benefit no one. While the White House has not ruled out the use of force in relation to Greenland, Starmer said he did not believe military action would occur and urged calm discussion. Britain, which is no longer part of the EU, has indicated it is not planning retaliatory tariffs at this stage.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, defended the administration’s focus on Greenland, rejecting the idea that Trump’s position was driven by resentment over the Nobel Prize. Bessent said Greenland was viewed as a strategic asset and argued that the United States could not “outsource hemispheric security,” reflecting growing concern in Washington over Russian and Chinese activity in the Arctic.
The controversy is also intertwined with Trump’s long-standing fixation on the Nobel Peace Prize. The 2025 award went to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who last week presented her Nobel medal to Trump during a visit. Although Nobel officials have stated that prizes cannot be transferred or shared, the episode underscored Trump’s continued frustration with the committee’s decision.
Danish defence officials and Greenland’s foreign minister are scheduled to meet NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in Brussels, a meeting planned before the latest escalation but now taking on added significance. The talks are expected to focus on Arctic security and alliance cohesion at a moment when rhetoric and economic threats have raised questions about the future of U.S.–European relations.
Trump threatens tariffs against nations opposing Greenland takeover
