Trump told Norway's prime minister that after being passed over for the peace prize, he 'no longer feels an obligation to think purely of peace,' effectively signaling a readiness to pursue more assertive measures regarding Greenland.
Greenland is a vast Arctic territory that is self‑governing but part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Trump's interest in the island, which has rich natural resources and a key strategic location has drawn strong resistance from both Danish and Greenlandic officials, who have repeatedly said the territory is not for sale and should remain under Danish sovereignty.
Tensions have increased in recent days after Trump announced that the United States would impose a 10 percent import tariff starting next month on goods from eight European countries, including Norway and Denmark, which have supported Greenland's position and opposed U.S. efforts to assert control.
European governments condemned the tariff threats as harmful to long‑standing alliances with Washington and harmful to economic cooperation.
The president's comments linking his Greenland policy to the Nobel Prize snub were confirmed by the White House and were seen by many as an unusual personal rationale for foreign policy decisions. Trump posted a doctored image on social media claiming Greenland as a U.S. territory, a move that drew ridicule and alarm from critics and allied leaders.
The tariff threat has triggered a range of international reactions. Thousands of people in Greenland and Denmark protested against U.S. pressure, with demonstrators saying the island's future should be decided by its own residents, not by outside powers.
In Copenhagen, protesters mocked Trump's slogans with parody caps reading 'Make America Go Away,' capturing both humor and serious resistance to U.S. interference.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also publicly rejected Trump's tariff threats, calling them 'completely wrong' and warning that a trade war among allies who are part of both NATO and shared security commitments would be damaging and unnecessary.
Starmer emphasized that the dispute over Greenland should be addressed through diplomacy and calm dialogue rather than economic coercion.
Rania Umutoni
