US President Donald Trump has said he no longer feels obliged to focus solely on peace after missing out on last year’s Nobel Peace Prize, linking the decision to his continued push to assert control over Greenland.
In a letter addressed to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Trump accused Norway of denying him the prize and cited this as justification for pursuing policies he said were in the interests of the United States.
“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, adding that he could now focus on what he described as what was “good and proper for the United States of America”.
In the letter, Trump questioned Denmark’s claim to Greenland, arguing that Copenhagen could not defend the territory against threats from Russia or China. He also challenged the legal basis of Denmark’s ownership, describing it as historical rather than documented.
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“I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now NATO should do something for the United States,” he wrote, adding that the world would not be secure unless the US had “complete and total control of Greenland”.
Støre responded by saying he had made it clear to Trump that the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by an independent committee, not by the Norwegian government.
Greenland is an autonomous territory under Denmark, which, like Norway, is a member of NATO. The alliance operates on the principle of collective defence and has never recorded an attack by one member state against another since its formation in 1949.
Danish authorities have warned that any US military action in Greenland would effectively end Denmark’s participation in the alliance. Other European countries have also voiced opposition to Trump’s demands.
On Saturday, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on European allies, including the United Kingdom, over their objections to his proposal to acquire Greenland.
The NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, said the alliance would continue to work with Denmark and Greenland on Arctic security issues.
Last Thursday, María Machado, the winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, presented her gold medal to Trump during a meeting at the White House. Trump accepted the gesture, describing it as a sign of “mutual respect”.
The exchange, however, has not softened his position on the possibility of military action in Greenland.
