• Tells Norway PM snub ended his obligation to think ‘purely of peace’
• EU leaders eye retaliatory tariffs as German, Norwegian leaders rush to Davos

PARIS: US President Donald Trump linked his drive to take control of Greenland to his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize, saying he no longer thought “purely of Peace” as the row over the island on Monday threatened to reignite a trade war with Europe.

Trump has ramped up pressure to wrest sovereignty over Greenland from fellow Nato member Denmark, threatening punitive tariffs on countries that oppose the move. The diplomatic threatens to upend the Nato alliance that has underpinned Western security for decades.

The ultimatum has plunged trade relations between the US and the European Union into renewed turmoil just months after the two sides painstakingly reached a deal to resolve previous tariff disputes.

In a message to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere seen by Reuters, Trump linked his geopolitical strategy to his grievance with the Nobel Committee, who awarded the 2025 Peace Prize to Venezuelan leader Maria Corina Machado instead of him.

“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,” Trump wrote.

The committee’s choice visibly annoyed Trump. In a recent White House meeting, Machado offered him her medal, but the Nobel Committee clarified it can’t be transferred, shared, or revoked.

In his correspondence with Stoere, Trump repeated his accusation that Denmark is incapable of protecting Greenland from Russian or Chinese encroachment.

Questioning why Denmark maintains a “right of ownership”, he wrote, “The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland.”

Trump vowed on Saturday to implement a wave of increasing tariffs starting Feb.1.

The tariffs target EU countries Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, and allies Britain and Norway. They will remain until the US can purchase the island with about 57,000 residents.

In a Facebook post, Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen rejected the pressure campaign, asserting that the territory must be allowed to decide its own fate.

The dispute has forced an immediate reshuffling of high-level diplomatic schedules. Stoere amended his plans to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, specifically to address the crisis.

The Norwegian leader will be in Davos on Wednesday and Thursday, overlapping with Trump, who is expected to deliver a keynote address on Wednesday in his first appearance at the gathering of global elites in six years.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated he would also attempt to meet with Trump on Wednesday to prevent further economic deterioration.

“But if we are confronted with tariffs that we consider unreasonable, then we are capable of responding,” Merz warned.

EU leaders will meet for an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday to discuss options. They are considering retaliatory tariffs on 93 billion euros ($108 billion) of US imports, which could start on Feb 6 after a six-month suspension.

Another option under consideration is the “Anti-Coercion Instrument” (ACI). The tool, which has never been used, would allow the bloc to limit US access to public tenders, investments, or banking activity.

It could also restrict trade in services, a sector where the US currently enjoys a surplus with the bloc. While the EU maintains it is engaging “at all levels” with Washington, officials confirmed that the use of the ACI is not off the table.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for calm discussions between allies, adding that he did not believe Trump was seriously considering military action to seize Greenland.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin declined to comment on the specific US designs on the island, though it noted Trump would “go down in ... world history” if he managed to take control of the territory.

The political volatility has rattled financial markets. European shares dropped on Monday, and the dollar fell as investors sought safety in other currencies.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2026