United States President Donald Trump has made an unusually candid admission linking his push for American control over Greenland to his resentment at not having received the Nobel Peace Prize, according to a report by the Public Broadcasting Service. The disclosure emerged from a personal letter Trump sent to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, in which he openly tied his foreign policy posture to the Nobel snub.
In the letter, Trump wrote that Norway’s decision not to award him the Nobel Peace Prize had fundamentally altered how he viewed his global responsibilities. He claimed that the denial freed him from any obligation to prioritise peace above all else and allowed him to focus more aggressively on what he saw as American interests. Trump argued that although peace would remain important, he now felt justified in pursuing policies that directly benefited the United States, even if they provoked controversy.
Trump went on to invoke this grievance to defend his hardline stance on Greenland, openly rejecting Denmark’s sovereignty over the autonomous territory. He questioned the historical and legal basis of Danish ownership, arguing that Copenhagen lacked both the capacity and legitimacy to control the island. In his message, Trump claimed that Denmark could not protect Greenland from potential threats posed by Russia or China and dismissed Denmark’s claim as resting on little more than centuries-old historical assertions.
In a particularly blunt passage, Trump argued that Denmark’s ownership claim was weak because it was based on early exploration rather than clear documentation. He suggested that American explorers had also landed there in the past, implying that the United States had an equally valid basis to assert control. His remarks framed Greenland not as a sovereign entity with its own political will, but as a strategic asset that should fall under US authority.
It is notable that the Nobel Peace Prize is not decided by the Norwegian government but by an independent committee appointed by the Norwegian parliament, a distinction Trump did not acknowledge in his remarks. Nonetheless, the letter suggests that Trump personally associates Norway with the decision and harbours lingering resentment over not being recognised for what he describes as his role in ending multiple conflicts.
Prime Minister Støre confirmed to Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten that he did indeed receive the message from Trump. He explained that the letter was sent in response to an earlier communication from himself and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, in which they had expressed opposition to Trump’s decision to impose higher tariffs on Norway, Finland and other countries. According to Støre, Trump’s reply arrived the same afternoon and addressed both trade and geopolitical issues.
PBS journalist Nick Schifrin reported that similar letters outlining Trump’s position were circulated to several European ambassadors in Washington, suggesting that the message was part of a broader effort to pressure European allies and justify Washington’s increasingly confrontational stance on Greenland.
Trump has repeatedly insisted that he will accept nothing short of full American ownership of Greenland, which remains an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. He has accused Denmark of neglecting security concerns in the Arctic and failing to counter what he describes as growing Russian and Chinese influence in the region.
In earlier statements on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump claimed that NATO had warned Denmark for years about security risks near Greenland and alleged that Copenhagen had done little in response. He asserted that the time had come for decisive action and suggested that US intervention was inevitable.
Denmark and Greenland’s political leadership have firmly rejected Trump’s claims, repeatedly stating that Greenland is not for sale and that its future must be decided by its own people. European officials have also pointed out that Greenland already falls under NATO’s collective defence umbrella, undermining Trump’s argument that the island is inadequately protected.
Despite this, Trump has continued to escalate pressure, including threats of economic retaliation. Over the weekend, he warned that the United States would impose increasing tariffs on European allies unless Washington was allowed to purchase Greenland. He has framed the issue as one of national security, arguing that the Arctic island’s strategic location makes it vital for countering China and Russia, even as European governments accuse him of undermining allied unity and international norms.
