President Trump sent a message to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store linking his failure to receive the Nobel Peace Prize to US demands for control of Greenland.
Trump’s Message to Norway
President Donald Trump sent a message to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, connecting the issue of not being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize with the US taking over Greenland. According to the message revealed by PBS News Hour journalist Nick Schifrin, Trump wrote: “Considering that your country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for stopping eight wars, I no longer feel obligated to think only about peace… I can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America.”
Trump questioned Denmark’s ownership of Greenland, stating: “Denmark cannot protect this land from Russia or China, and besides, why does it even have ‘ownership rights’? There are no documents for it, just that a boat moored there hundreds of years ago, but we also had boats that moored there. I have done more for NATO than anyone else since its inception, and now NATO should do something for the United States. The world will not be safe until we have complete and full control over Greenland.”
Norwegian Prime Minister’s Response
CNN reported that Trump’s message was a response to an SMS sent earlier by the Norwegian prime minister opposing plans to impose new tariffs on countries supporting Greenland. In a statement published on the Norwegian government’s website, Store confirmed on Monday that he had received such a message from the US president over the weekend.
Store explained that Trump’s message was a response to “a short message sent earlier that day” on behalf of himself and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. In this message, the leaders had called for de-escalation of tensions and requested a trilateral phone conversation.
Norway’s Position on Greenland
Store also emphasized in his statement that “Norway’s position on Greenland is clear.” “Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and Norway fully supports the Kingdom of Denmark in this matter. We also support responsible NATO actions aimed at strengthening security and stability in the Arctic.”
Regarding the Nobel Peace Prize, Store stated: “I have clearly explained, including to President Trump, what is commonly known: the prize is awarded by an independent Nobel Committee, not the Norwegian government.”
