President Donald Trump escalated his campaign to acquire Greenland by threatening NATO allies with tariffs while tying his demands to being denied the Nobel Peace Prize, according to leaked correspondence with Norway’s Prime Minister.
The US President sent a letter to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre stating he “no longer feels obligated to think purely of peace” after his country declined to award him the Nobel Peace Prize.
Trump claimed he deserved the honor for “having stopped 8 Wars PLUS.”
In the communication, Trump wrote that he has “done more for Nato than any other person since its founding” and declared that “Nato should do something for the United States.”
He asserted that global security requires “Complete and Total Control of Greenland.”
The letter came in response to Støre’s message expressing opposition to Trump’s proposal to impose export tariffs on nations willing to defend the autonomous Danish territory.
National Security Council staff forwarded Trump’s response to multiple European ambassadors in Washington, and it was subsequently leaked to media outlets including Norwegian tabloid VG and PBS.
Støre confirmed the letter’s authenticity after initial concerns it might be fabricated.
The Norwegian leader explained he had sent a joint message with Finnish President Alexander Stubb requesting a phone call to discuss the tariff threats.
“I can confirm that this is a message I received yesterday afternoon from President Trump,” Støre told VG.
He noted that Trump’s response arrived shortly after the initial message and that the US President chose to share it with other NATO country leaders.
The Norwegian Prime Minister said he has repeatedly explained to Trump that an independent Nobel Committee, not the Norwegian government, awards the peace prize.
This distinction appears to have made little impression on the US President’s position.
In his letter, Trump questioned Denmark’s claim to Greenland, arguing the country cannot protect the territory from Russia or China.
He challenged the basis of Danish sovereignty, stating there are no written documents establishing ownership rights and that possession stems only from “a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there.”
Professor Guhild Hoogensen Gjørv of the Arctic University of Norway characterized Trump’s approach as “blackmail.”
She stated that Trump believes he can silence European countries and is willing to use coercive tactics against them, according to Daily Mail reporting.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a press conference at Downing Street calling Trump’s trade war threats “completely wrong” but indicated the UK would not retaliate.
Starmer stated he would speak with Trump again in coming days to find a pragmatic solution.
When asked if he believed Trump was genuinely considering military action against Greenland, Starmer responded that he did not.
However, he emphasized that a tariff war serves no one’s interests.
Trump announced plans to impose a 10 percent tariff on exports from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the UK starting Feb. 1.
He declared the rate would increase to 25 percent in June and remain in effect until an agreement is reached for the “complete and total purchase of Greenland.”
The eight targeted nations issued a joint statement defending their participation in Arctic Endurance, a Danish military exercise in Greenland that reportedly angered Trump.
They emphasized their commitment to strengthening Arctic security as a shared transatlantic interest and declared the exercise “poses no threat to anyone.”
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated firmly that “Europe will not be blackmailed” and said her government seeks cooperation rather than conflict.
A senior UK government official told the Daily Mail they had never witnessed anything comparable to the current situation, warning that adversaries would celebrate the discord and that NATO was heading toward disaster.
European leaders are reportedly considering deploying their anti-coercion instrument for the first time.
The outlet further noted that this economic tool, adopted in 2023 to combat political blackmail, could impose £81 billion in tariffs on the United States and restrict American participation in public tenders while limiting trade licenses and market access.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the President’s position, claiming Europeans project weakness while America projects strength.
He stated Trump believes enhanced security cannot be achieved without Greenland becoming part of the United States.
