On Monday, January 19, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that, after not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, he “no longer feels obligated to think solely about peace”, according to a letter sent to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, the contents of which were leaked by PBS News correspondent Nick Schifrin.
In the message, Trump asserted that, having not been recognized despite “stopping eight wars”, he can now focus on what he considers best for the United States, although he said peace will remain a priority.
Trump links the Nobel Peace Prize to Greenland
In the letter, the U.S. president directly linked the Nobel Peace Prize denial to the United States’ stance on Greenland, an autonomous territory belonging to the Kingdom of Denmark.
“Denmark is not capable of protecting that territory from Russia or China, and beside, why would it have any supposed ‘property right’?”, Trump wrote, questioning Danish sovereignty.
The Republican argued that the world will not be safe without “full and absolute control of Greenland”, an argument that has generated concern within NATO and among European governments.
Trump claims to have done more for NATO than any other leader
In his message, Trump reiterated that he has done “more for NATO than anyone else since its creation” and asserted that the military alliance should now serve U.S. interests, especially in the Arctic, a strategic region due to its location and natural resources.
Read more: European Union considers imposing tariffs on the U.S. worth €93 billion in response to Trump’s threats
Norway responds to Trump over the Nobel Peace Prize
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre confirmed to the Norwegian newspaper VG that he received a message from Trump, clarifying that it was a response to a previous communication sent jointly with Finnish President Alexander Stubb regarding the increase in U.S. tariffs.
Støre emphasized that Norway’s position is firm:
- Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
- Support for Denmark is total.
- The Norwegian Nobel Committee is independent, and the government does not decide the winner of the prize.
“I’ve explained several times that the Nobel Peace Prize isn’t awarded by the Norwegian government”, he pointed out.
Who won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize?
The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado in recognition of her work defending democratic rights in Venezuela.
Although Machado handed his medal to Trump during a meeting at the White House as a gesture of gratitude for the operation that ousted Nicolás Maduro, Oslo reiterated that the distinction is non-transferable.
