At a Glance
- President Trump told Norway’s leader he no longer feels bound to “think purely of peace” after missing the Nobel Peace Prize.
- European ministers vow not to be “blackmailed” by U.S. threats of tariffs if they resist Greenland takeover.
- Why it matters: The row pushes transatlantic ties toward their lowest point since the 1956 Suez Crisis and could trigger unprecedented E.U. retaliation.
President Donald Trump has warned Europe he feels freed from peace-minded restraint, directly tying his escalating campaign to seize Greenland to his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre revealed.
The message lands amid surging tensions: European governments pledged Monday not to yield to Trump’s pressure on Denmark’s territory, and Brussels is preparing an emergency summit for Thursday. Trump has promised tariffs on any country that blocks his Arctic ambition.
Trump’s Message to Norway
Støre made the private text public after PBS first reported its contents. The prime minister said the president wrote:
> “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, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America.”
The Norwegian leader confirmed he received the message Sunday afternoon. It came after he and Finnish President Alexander Stubb wrote to Trump expressing opposition to planned U.S. tariff hikes.
Støre noted the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by an independent committee, not the Norwegian government. The White House did not reply to an overnight request for comment from News Of Philadelphia.
Europe’s Pushback
Germany and France led the public counterattack Monday.
- German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil: “We will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed.”
- French Finance Minister Roland Lescure: “Blackmail between allies of 250 years, blackmail between friends, is obviously unacceptable.”
Both ministers spoke at a joint event ahead of the Brussels summit, where E.U. leaders will weigh retaliatory tools.
Short-term options on the table:
- Imposing Europe’s own tariffs on U.S. goods
- Deploying the Anti-Coercion Instrument, the bloc’s unused “bazooka” that lets countries restrict access to tenders or investment proposals for any state deemed coercive
Klingbeil summarized Europe’s stance: “We Europeans must make it clear: The limit has been reached.”
Why Greenland Matters
Trump argues the island is vital to counter Russia and China. Its Arctic location puts it between the U.S., Europe and Moscow, and melting ice is opening new shipping lanes and resource deposits.
The U.S. already enjoys broad rights to build military bases or mine minerals there, but Trump wants full control. On Sunday he posted on Truth Social:
> “Denmark has been unable to do anything about” the Russian threat. “Now it is time, and it will be done!!!”
Historical Context
Some geopolitical analysts say the standoff marks the lowest ebb in transatlantic relations since the 1956 Suez Crisis, when Washington forced Britain, France and Israel to abandon their invasion of Egypt.
Trump has openly coveted a Nobel medal. His ire intensified last month when the prize went to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado instead. Machado later presented Trump with the award during a private meeting, although the Norwegian Nobel Committee stressed the prize “cannot, even symbolically, be passed on.”
Russia Reacts
While European capitals recoiled, Moscow offered a measured response. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters:
> “There are some experts who say that Trump will go down in history if he solves the Greenland question. Without saying whether it’s good or bad – one can hardly disagree with these experts.”
U.S. Economic Rationale
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the president’s posture on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” saying Trump is wielding “the economic might of the U.S. to avoid a hot war” and prevent a future “national emergency.”
What Happens Next
European governments will gather in Brussels Thursday to finalize a coordinated response. Officials say every option – from targeted tariffs to the Anti-Coercion Instrument – remains on the table.
Key Takeaways
- Trump links his Greenland push to personal grievance over the Nobel Peace Prize.
- Germany and France frame U.S. threats as unacceptable “blackmail.”
- The E.U. could deploy its unused Anti-Coercion Instrument against Washington for the first time.
- Analysts compare the rupture to the 1956 Suez Crisis, the prior low point in transatlantic relations.
