Trump weaponises Nobel sour grapes in bid to 'control' Greenland

US President Donald Trump has added a fresh layer of petty to geopolitics, texting Norway’s prime minister that he “no longer feels an obligation to think purely of Peace” after not getting the Nobel Peace Prize — a grievance he then linked to his ambition for “Complete and Total Control of Greenland”.

The message, first reported by PBS and later passed among baffled European diplomats, was sent to Jonas Gahr Store as Washington strong-arms its closest allies over Trump’s fantasy of taking over the self-governing Arctic territory. The note complains that Norway “decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize”, and therefore Trump now feels liberated to act strictly in America’s interests — a justification that would have raised eyebrows even in more stable administrations.

Store confirmed receiving the text but politely declined to publish it, noting that Norway “fully supports the Kingdom of Denmark” and that Greenland is not, in fact, up for grabs. On the Nobel front, Store gently reminded Trump that the prize is awarded by an independent committee, not by the Norwegian government — a distinction the US president has repeatedly struggled with.

Adding to the farce, Venezuelan opposition leader and actual 2025 laureate María Corina Machado recently presented her Nobel medal to Trump during a visit — insisting she wanted to ‘share’ it with him.

Trump accepted, told supporters he planned to keep it, and posed for cameras, even as the Nobel Committee noted the medal is not transferable, revocable or shareable. European diplomats privately rolled their eyes, seeing the medal moment as yet more emotional tinder in an already combustible Greenland standoff.

The eyebrow-raising message landed just as Trump slapped a 10 per cent tariff on imports from eight allied nations, including Norway, apparently as leverage to force talks over Greenland. European governments quickly rallied behind Denmark, issuing tight-lipped diplomatic protests while privately wondering how they ended up negotiating Arctic sovereignty with a man still stewing about a prize given to Venezuela’s María Corina Machado last year.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer attempted de-escalation on Monday, saying he did not expect military action despite the White House refusing to rule it out. He called the tariff threat “completely wrong”, adding that a trade war “is in no one’s interest”, which is Westminster shorthand for “please stop this nonsense”.

On the ground, Greenlanders have been more direct. Thousands marched over the weekend to reject any takeover, while Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen wrote on Facebook that “We will not be pressured” and insisted on dialogue and international law — concepts not currently enjoying high favour in Washington.

Across the Skagerrak, Denmark has responded with humour as a coping strategy. Red baseball caps spoofing Trump’s MAGA merch — rebranded as 'Make America Go Away' or the Nuuk-themed 'Nu det NUUK!' — have become the unofficial uniform of Copenhagen protests.

One demonstrator summed up the mood while wearing a parody cap: “They are being threatened with having their country invaded. I think it’s totally unacceptable.” The jokes have been selling out faster than Tonnesen, the vintage shop owner who created them, can restock.

European leaders warn the Greenland saga is further fraying a transatlantic relationship already fatigued by Ukraine, defence spending rows and previous tariff theatrics. European Council president Antonio Costa said the bloc is “ready to defend ourselves against any form of coercion”, and Starmer signalled Britain would not mirror any tariff tit-for-tat.

Denmark’s defence minister and Greenland’s foreign minister are due in Brussels for talks with NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte — a meeting planned pre-meltdown, though now likely consumed by it. In the meantime, Trump’s Nobel-fuelled Greenland obsession has become the latest reminder that European diplomacy increasingly involves parsing late-night presidential texts.

With AP/PTI inputs