- US President Trump linked Greenland pursuit to not receiving Nobel Peace Prize
- Trump questioned Denmark's ownership of Greenland and cited security concerns
- US to impose 10% import tax on eight nations supporting Denmark's sovereignty
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday linked his pursuit of Greenland to his failure to secure the Nobel Peace Prize. In a text message to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, released on Monday, Trump stated he no longer felt an "obligation to think purely of Peace."
In a letter to Jonas, Trump wrote, "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."
"Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a "right of ownership" anyway? There are no written documents, it's only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also.
I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland," added a letter Trump, in an official letter sent from the White House.
The US President has also announced a 10% import tax effective Feb. 1 on goods from eight nations that have supported Denmark's sovereignty. The targeted list includes the UK, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Finland.
Despite the pressure, European leaders remain firm. EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas addressed the tension on social media, stating that while the bloc has "no interest to pick a fight," it intends to "hold our ground."
Seeking to lower the diplomatic temperature, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for "calm discussion" on Monday. He also joined other European allies to object to the proposed move after Trump posted about the plan on his Truth Social platform.
French President Emmanuel Macron described Trump's threat as 'unacceptable', even as thousands took to the streets in Greenland and Denmark to protest a forced American takeover.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stressed that European allies won't be “blackmailed”.
Meanwhile, in a post on X, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that territorial integrity and sovereignty are fundamental principles of international law.
This week, Trump is set to meet Von der Leyen and other European leaders at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where Greenland will dominate the agenda.
(with inputs from PTI)
Also Read: Trade War In No One's Interest: UK PM Keir Starmer Amid Trump's Tariff Threats
Watch LIVE TV, Get Stock Market Updates, Top Business, IPO and Latest News on NDTV Profit.