Trump: Stance on Greenland is due to not getting Nobel Peace Prize

U.S. announces new European tariffs amid Greenland push

Judge Jamie Baker, Director of the Syracuse University Institute for Security Policy and Law, joins LiveNOW's Austin Westfall to discuss President Trump's announcement that the U.S. will impose tariffs on European countries until a "complete and total purchase" of Greenland deal is made. 

President Donald Trump said the reason behind his aggressive stance on Greenland is that he was not awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last year, according to text messages he sent to Norway’s prime minister.

The texts, which were released on Monday, stated that Trump no longer felt "an obligation to think purely of Peace."

Trump's message to Jonas Gahr Støre appears to ratchet up a standoff between Washington and its closest allies over his threats to take over Greenland, a self-governing territory of NATO member Denmark.

Trump’s tweets to Norwegian prime minister

Dig deeper:

Trump’s Sunday message to Gahr Støre, released by the Norwegian government, read in part, "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."

It concluded, "The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland."

The White House confirmed the authenticity of the message, with White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly saying that Trump "is confident Greenlanders would be better served if protected by the United States from modern threats in the Arctic region."

Norway responds

FILE - Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store visits UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer (not seen) at 10 Downing Street, the official residence of the Prime Minister in London, United Kingdom on Dec. 4, 2025. (Photo by Rasid Necati Aslim/Anadolu via G

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The other side:

The Norwegian leader said Trump’s message was a reply to an earlier missive sent on behalf of himself and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, in which they conveyed their opposition to the tariff announcement, pointed to a need to de-escalate, and proposed a telephone conversation among the three leaders.

What they're saying:

"Norway’s position on Greenland is clear. Greenland is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and Norway fully supports the Kingdom of Denmark on this matter," the Norwegian leader said in a statement. "As regards the Nobel Peace Prize, I have clearly explained, including to President Trump what is well known, the prize is awarded by an independent Nobel Committee and not the Norwegian Government."

Why Greenland matters

Big picture view:

Greenland's strategic location above the Arctic Circle makes it a focal point in global security and trade debates.

The island is a semiautonomous territory of Denmark, a longtime U.S. ally and a founding member of NATO. It is also home to a large U.S. military base.

The land is rich in valuable rare earth minerals, such as uranium, as well as billions of untapped barrels of oil and a vast supply of natural gas. 

And, on a global scale, Greenland will be an increasing focal point through the 21st century, experts say, because of the effect its melting ice will have on sea levels.