Trump Tells Norway PM 'No Obligation to 'Think Purely of Peace''; Escalates Tensions With Norway After Nobel Snub

Washington DC: US President Donald Trump has sharply escalated tensions with Norway after not being awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, linking the snub to his renewed drive to assert US control over Greenland, according to a report by AFP, Trump sent a letter to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, which his office later confirmed.

In the message, Trump said that because Norway did not give him the Nobel Peace Prize — an award he has publicly coveted — he no longer feels “obligated to think purely of peace,” although he suggested peace would still be a consideration for his administration. The Nobel Peace Prize, however, is decided by an independent Norwegian committee, not the Norwegian government itself.

Trump’s remarks come amid his ongoing campaign to persuade Denmark to allow the United States full control over Greenland, an autonomous territory of the Danish kingdom. In the letter, the US president challenged Denmark’s ability to defend the island against global rivals and argued the United States should have complete authority there — remarks that have unsettled NATO allies and drawn criticism across Europe.

The letter also revived Trump’s threat of punitive tariffs on European countries unless agreements on Greenland are reached, heightening concerns about a broader diplomatic and economic clash with close allies. European officials have described such tactics as coercive and destabilising for transatlantic relations.

Critics both in Europe and the United States have condemned Trump’s linking of foreign policy decisions to personal disappointment over the Nobel outcome, arguing that it undermines diplomatic norms and the principle of peace‑based conflict resolution. Some analysts say the incident marks an unusual intersection of personal grievance and international strategy in modern US foreign policy.

Norwegian leaders have reiterated that the Nobel Peace Prize is not decided by the government but an independent organization. reports suggest that the Norwegian prime Minister has informed that he explained this to the US President. He also stressed their commitment to Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland, while NATO partners continue discussions on how to respond to the evolving dispute.