The full text of a diplomatic letter from Norway's Prime Minister to Donald Trump, which provoked an extraordinary response from the former US President citing his Nobel Peace Prize snub, has been made public. The exchange centres on Trump's renewed push to acquire Greenland and his threats of punitive tariffs against European Union nations.
The Diplomatic Appeal and the Fiery Retort
On Sunday 19 January, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, co-signing with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, wrote to Donald Trump following a series of provocative announcements. The day before, Trump had declared a 10% tariff on goods from several EU countries, including Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, and the UK, set for 1 February, with a potential rise to 25%.
The leaders' message addressed Trump's tariffs, his ambitions for Greenland, and conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine. It stated: "You know our position on these issues. But we believe we should all work to take this down and de-escalate – so much is happening around us where we need to stand together." The letter proposed a call to discuss the matters, concluding with "Best - Alex and Jonas".
Trump's reply, delivered in under an hour, linked foreign policy directly to personal grievance. He wrote: "Dear Jonas: Since your country decided not to award me the Nobel Peace Prize for stopping eight wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think exclusively about peace." The Norwegian Nobel Committee had awarded the 2025 prize to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, a decision that clearly continued to rankle Trump.
Greenland, NATO, and Escalating Trade Tensions
In his message, Trump reiterated his controversial stance on Greenland, questioning Denmark's historical claim to the territory. "... and why do they have a 'right of ownership' anyway?" he wrote, arguing, "The world is not safe unless we have complete and total control of Greenland." He coupled this with a demand for NATO reciprocity, stating he had done more for the alliance than anyone and it was time for it to "do something for the United States".
This dispute now threatens to destabilise the NATO alliance, already strained by the war in Ukraine and spending disagreements. Furthermore, it has plunged transatlantic trade into fresh uncertainty, jeopardising a deal painstakingly reached last year. In response, EU leaders are scheduled for an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday evening UK time.
European Retaliation and UK Stance
European officials are considering deploying the EU's powerful anti-coercion trade 'bazooka' for the first time, a tool that could hit the US with tariffs worth up to £81 billion. Germany’s Vice Chancellor, Lars Klingbeil, urged allies to prepare the measure, stating, "There is a legally established European toolbox for responding to economic blackmail."
In the UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer addressed the nation, criticising Trump's trade threats as "completely wrong". While emphasising the profound importance of the UK-US relationship and stating a trade war was in "nobody's interest", Starmer firmly asserted that Greenland's future "belongs to the people of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark alone". He stopped short, however, of supporting calls for King Charles to cancel a planned state visit to the US in April.
As Denmark intensifies military activities in Greenland with NATO allies, the crisis underscores a dramatic collision of personal grievance, territorial ambition, and the foundational principles of Western security and trade partnerships.
