By Karmrath News Desk
USA: In a development that has sent shockwaves through diplomatic circles and strained relations between Washington and its European allies, U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly linked his aggressive push for control over Greenland to his failure to receive the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. The revelation emerged from a direct message sent to Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre on 18 January 2026, and confirmed by Norwegian officials.
In a letter, Trump wrote that, after being snubbed for the prestigious award, which was instead given to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, he “no longer feels an obligation to think purely of peace.” He then tied that perceived slight to concerns over Greenland’s sovereignty and the United States’ foreign policy objectives.
“Considering your country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped eight wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of peace,” Trump wrote. He added that the world was “not secure unless we have Complete and Total control of Greenland.”
Trump’s letter, which also referenced U.S. national security and Russia-China influence, escalates an already fraught dispute over the Arctic territory, which is a self-governing part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Greenland, with strategic geostrategic position and natural resources, has been the focus of U.S. interest before, but Trump’s framing marks a dramatic shift in tone and intent.
Tariffs and Trade Threats Ignite Wider Crisis
The president did not confine his remarks to rhetoric. He has threatened escalating tariffs on goods from several European nations, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Britain and Finland, beginning with a 10 percent levy on 1 February and rising to 25 percent by June unless their governments relent on objections to U.S. demands on Greenland.
European officials have condemned the tariff threats as coercive and an attempt at economic blackmail. The European Union is actively discussing retaliatory measures, including a previously approved €93 billion tariff package and the potential use of its anti-coercion instrument, a tool designed to counter economic pressure from third countries.
German Vice-Chancellor Lars Klingbeil called Trump’s tariff plan “blackmail,” while French officials signalled readiness to defend European interests if necessary. NATO ally Britain, in comments from Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office, echoed calls for dialogue and de-escalation, stressing the importance of the transatlantic alliance.
Allies Push Back, Politically and Publicly
Denmark has repeatedly made clear that Greenland is not for sale. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen asserted that international law and sovereign rights must be respected, and Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen insisted that the island’s future must be determined by its people, reinforcing that Greenland remains part of the Danish realm.
Mass protests under the slogan “Hands off Greenland” have drawn thousands in Copenhagen and Nuuk, conveying popular resistance to the U.S. pressure campaign. These demonstrations, among the largest ever held in Greenland, reflect deep unease about external interference in the island’s political affairs.
NATO leaders have also expressed concern, with discussions underway about reinforcing surveillance and defence cooperation in the Arctic alongside Denmark and other allies.
Nobel Committee and the Peace Prize Context
The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to María Corina Machado, an outspoken Venezuelan opposition figure, in recognition of her efforts against authoritarian rule. Machado visited the White House earlier this month and symbolically presented her Nobel medal to Donald Trump. However, Nobel officials emphasised that such gestures do not alter the official award or its criteria.
Norwegian Prime Minister Støre publicly reiterated that the Nobel Prize committee operates independently from any government, directly countering the implication in Trump’s message.
Implications for Transatlantic Ties
Diplomats across Europe warn that the Greenland dispute and associated economic threats risk undermining decades of postwar cooperation. Analysts say that NATO cohesion, already stressed by other geopolitical conflicts, could suffer further fractures if the crisis escalates.
President Trump is expected to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos later this week, where European leaders have signalled intentions to engage him on these issues. With both sides seeking to avert a broader conflict, diplomats describe the current standoff as one of the most serious tests of U.S.–European relations in recent memory.