Donald Trump has explicitly linked his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize to his aggressive campaign to annex Greenland, according to a revealing text message exchange with Norway's Prime Minister. The US President stated that not receiving the award meant he no longer felt "an obligation to think purely of peace," as he again refused to rule out seizing the Arctic territory by force.
Nobel Prize Frustration Fuels Territorial Ambitions
The extraordinary disclosure of the exchange with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre comes amid a concerted push by Trump to acquire Greenland, a largely self-governing part of Denmark. In recent weeks, he has declared the US would take control "one way or the other" and, over the weekend, emphatically stated: "Now it is time, and it will be done!!!"
On Monday 19th January, Trump told NBC News he would "100%" proceed with plans to impose tariffs on allied nations and singled out Norway, blaming it for his Nobel disappointment. "Norway totally controls it despite what they say. They like to say they have nothing to do with it, but they have everything to do with it," he claimed.
The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by the independent Norwegian Nobel Committee, a five-member private body whose decisions are separate from the government.
"Complete and Total Control": The Demand for Greenland
In his text message to Støre, Trump argued that Denmark "cannot protect" Greenland from Russia or China, questioning the basis of Danish sovereignty. "Why do they have a 'right of ownership' anyway? There are no written documents, it’s only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago," he wrote.
The President asserted he had "done more for Nato than anyone else since its founding, and now Nato should do something for the United States." He concluded that the world was "not secure unless we have complete and total control of Greenland."
European Industry and Public Push Back
The threats have triggered a firm response from European industry and public protest. Bertram Kawlath, president of the German engineering association VDMA, labelled Trump's demands as "ludicrous" and urged the EU to stand firm. "If the EU gives in here, it will only encourage the US president to make the next ludicrous demand and threaten further tariffs," he warned.
In Denmark and Greenland, defiance has taken a symbolic turn. Red baseball caps parodying Trump's iconic "Make America Great Again" hats with the slogan "Make America Go Away" have soared in popularity. Another variant reads "Now it's NUUK!" – a reference to Greenland's capital. The caps have become a feature at public protests, including a weekend demonstration held in freezing weather in Copenhagen.
The cultural backlash extended to high-profile figures. Actor Stellan Skarsgård criticised Trump's annexation attempts, calling him "a little man who got megalomania." Meanwhile, musician Bruce Springsteen used a concert to decry the "Gestapo tactics" of the Trump administration's immigration officers, stating the country's founding values "have never been as endangered as they are right now."
Other Key Developments from 19th January
The day's news was dominated by further controversies from the Trump administration:
- Minneapolis Tensions: Governor Kristi Noem first denied, then blamed protesters after federal agents were seen using chemical agents in Minneapolis amid a surge of federal officers.
- ICE Death: A second man, Victor Manuel Diaz, 36, from Nicaragua, died in two weeks at an ICE detention facility in El Paso, Texas, on 14th January.
- Epstein Files Delay: The Department of Justice has failed to meet a Congressional deadline to release investigative files on Jeffrey Epstein by 19th December 2025, as mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
- Gaza Peace Board: The Kremlin announced that Vladimir Putin has been invited to join Trump's newly formed "board of peace" intended to oversee a Gaza ceasefire, with Russia seeking to "clarify all the nuances" before responding.
