U.S. President Donald Trump linked his aggressive stance on Greenland to final 12 months’s determination to not award him the Nobel Peace Prize, telling Norway’s prime minister that he now not felt “an obligation to think purely of Peace,” two European officers mentioned Monday.
Trump’s message to Jonas Gahr Støre seems 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. On Saturday, Trump introduced a ten% import tax beginning in February on items from eight nations which have rallied round Denmark and Greenland, together with Norway.
These international locations issued a forceful rebuke. However British Prime Minister Keir Starmer sought to de-escalate tensions on Monday. Whereas the White Home has not dominated taking management of the strategic Arctic island by pressure, Starmer mentioned he didn’t consider army motion would happen.
“I think this can be resolved and should be resolved through calm discussion,” he mentioned.
Nonetheless, the American chief’s message to Gahr Støre might additional fracture a U.S.-European relationship already strained by variations over the best way to finish the practically four-year conflict in Ukraine, earlier rounds of tariffs, army spending and migration coverage.
In an indication of how tensions have elevated in current days, hundreds of Greenlanders marched over the weekend in protest of any effort to take over their island. Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen mentioned in a Fb publish Monday that the tariff threats wouldn’t change the their stance.
“We will not be pressured,” he wrote.
In the meantime, Naaja Nathanielsen, Greenland’s minister for enterprise, minerals, power, justice and equality, advised The Related Press that she was moved by the fast response of allies to the tariff risk and mentioned it confirmed that international locations notice “this is about more than Greenland.”
“I think a lot of countries are afraid that if they let Greenland go, what would be next?”
Trump sends a message to the Norwegian chief
In keeping with two European officers, Trump’s message to Gahr Støre learn partially: “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.”
It concluded: “The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland.”
The officers, who weren’t licensed to remark publicly and spoke on situation of anonymity, mentioned it had been forwarded to a number of European ambassadors in Washington. PBS first reported on the content material of Trump’s be aware.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the president’s strategy in Greenland throughout a quick Q&A with reporters in Davos, Switzerland, which is internet hosting the World Financial Discussion board assembly this week.
“I think it’s a complete canard that the president would be doing this because of the Nobel,” Bessent mentioned, instantly after saying he didn’t “know anything about the president’s letter to Norway.”
Bessent insisted Trump “is looking at Greenland as a strategic asset for the United States,” including that “we are not going to outsource our hemispheric security to anyone else.”
The White Home didn’t reply to questions in regards to the message or the context for Trump sending it.
Gahr Støre confirmed Monday that he had obtained a textual content message the day earlier than from Trump however didn’t launch its contents.
The Norwegian chief mentioned Trump’s message was a reply to an earlier missive despatched on behalf of himself and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, during which they conveyed their opposition to the tariff announcement, pointed to a have to de-escalate, and proposed a phone dialog among the many three leaders.
“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 chief mentioned in an announcement. “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.”
He advised TV2 Norway that he hadn’t responded to the message, however “I still believe it’s wise to talk,” and he hopes to speak with Trump in Davos this week.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee is an unbiased physique whose 5 members are appointed by the Norwegian Parliament.
Trump has overtly coveted the peace prize, which the committee awarded to Venezuelan opposition chief María Corina Machado final 12 months. Final week, Machado offered her Nobel medal to Trump, who mentioned he deliberate to maintain it although the committee mentioned the prize can’t be revoked, transferred or shared with others.
Starmer says a commerce conflict is in nobody’s curiosity
In his newest risk of tariffs, Trump indicated they’d be retaliation for final week’s deployment of symbolic numbers of troops from the European international locations to Greenland — although he additionally urged that he was utilizing the tariffs as leverage to barter with Denmark.
European governments mentioned that the troops traveled to the island to evaluate Arctic safety, a part of a response to Trump’s personal issues about interference from Russia and China.
Starmer on Monday referred to as Trump’s risk of tariffs “completely wrong” and mentioned {that a} commerce conflict is in nobody’s curiosity.
He added that “being pragmatic does not mean being passive and partnership does not mean abandoning principles.”
Six of the eight international locations focused are a part of the 27-member European Union, which operates as a single financial zone when it comes to commerce. European Council President Antonio Costa mentioned Sunday that the bloc’s leaders expressed “readiness to defend ourselves against any form of coercion.” He introduced a summit for Thursday night.
Starmer indicated that Britain, which isn’t a part of the EU, will not be planning to think about retaliatory tariffs.
“My focus is on making sure we don’t get to that stage,” he mentioned.
Denmark’s protection minister and Greenland’s international minister are anticipated to satisfy NATO Secretary-Common Mark Rutte in Brussels on Monday, a gathering that was deliberate earlier than the most recent escalation.
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Related Press writers Josh Boak in West Palm Seashore, Florida; Emma Burrows in Nuuk, Greenland; and Invoice Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.
