A leaked letter from US President Donald Trump to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has been described as bearing the hallmarks of coercive control and verbal abuse. The letter, which was reportedly forwarded to multiple European ambassadors in Washington before being leaked to PBS News, contains language that mirrors that of abusive partners, according to commentators.
In the letter, Trump writes: 'Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace...' He goes on to demand 'Complete and Total Control of Greenland', stating that 'Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China' and questioning Denmark's right of ownership.
The letter comes after Trump threatened to introduce tariffs on European allies unless the US is permitted to buy Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark. Both Denmark and Greenland have insisted the island is not for sale.
Observers have noted that the letter contains elements of gaslighting, twisting of truth, and naked threats, which are characteristic of coercive control. Phrases such as 'I have done more for NATO than any other person' and 'now, NATO should do something for the United States' are seen as transactional threats typical of controlling personalities.
The language used by Trump has been compared to that of an abusive husband, with conditional phrases implying 'you made me do this' and 'you owe me'. This behaviour is seen as a display of anger at not getting what he wants, namely Greenland and the Nobel Peace Prize.
