Trump writes Norway's PM, says won't think 'purely of peace'

The US president wrote to complain about not getting a Nobel Peace Prize, a decision that doesn't rest with Norway's PM. He said he would devote more thought to US interests, after having "stopped 8 Wars PLUS" [sic].

US President Donald Trump wrote a message to Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere, shared widely with other nations and the media by the US adminstration on Monday, saying that he no longer feels obliged "to think purely of peace" considering that he was not awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. 

Trump has frequently been reminded that Norway's government has no part in awarding the Nobel Prize, including by Stoere, but has expressed his doubts on this matter in response. 

The US president reiterated his recent demands for "Complete and Total Control" [sic] of Greenland, which is not a part of Norway although Oslo once contested control of it with Denmark. 

What did Trump write? 

"Dear Jonas: Considering your Country [sic] decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS [sic], I long longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace [sic], although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America," Trump wrote. 

Trump's claim to have stopped eight wars is ambitious in the extreme. Probably the most notable example is the stop in hostilities in Gaza, although that is stuck in the first phase of the peace plan and hundreds have died since the October cease-fire. 

Most of the other conflicts or disputes the White House cites were either short-running skirmishes, or were not solved, or did not involve fighting, or a combination of these three. Which "wars" beyond eight Trump believes he stopped is not clear.

'We had boats landing there, also' 

Trump then proceeded to transition to dicsussion of Greenland without introduction. 

"Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a 'right of ownership' anyway?" he asked. "There are no written documents, it's only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also." 

The first Norse settlers arrived in Greenland in the 10th Century, shortly before they first established a base camp on what's now the US, which would not become an independent nation until 1776. Various legal documents starting in 1814 delineate Greenland as part of Denmark. A 1933 international court ruling rendered the entirety of the island property of Denmark, rather than Norway, and in 1953 Greenland was incorporated as a realm or "Amt" within Denmark rather than a Danish-held colony. 

The US did twice try to purchase Greenland from Denmark, once shortly after World War II's end and again in Trump's first term. Although Denmark, one of the 12 founder members of NATO, refused, the US was granted rights to extensive military access. However, it has been steadily withdrawing troops from the territory in recent decades amid an increased military focus on areas including Asia and the Middle East.

"I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States," Trump asserted. "The World [sic] is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control [sic] of Greenland. Thank you!" 

Letter followed joint statement from Stoere and Finland's Stubb

Trump's letter to the Norwegian prime minister was sent soon after Stoere and Finland's President Alexander Stubb issued a joint statement asking Trump to deescalate his recent rhetoric regarding Greenland and requesting a call with him. 

Stoere said on Monday that he, liked many other people in politics and the press, had told Trump more than once that his government was not involved in choosing Nobel Peace Prize laureates. 

"I have several times explained clearly to Trump the well-known fact that it is an independent Nobel Committee, and not the Norwegian government, which awards the prize", Stoere said. 

That Committee awarded the 2025 Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.

Trump instead had to settle for the newly-created "FIFA Peace Prize" awarded by world soccer's governing body at the draw for the upcoming World Cup in North America.

Edited by: Roshni Majumdar