Donald Trump has tied his renewed threats to seize Greenland to his failure to win the Nobel peace prize, as tensions with Europe intensify and the prospect of an EU-US trade war returns.
In a text message to Norway’s prime minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, Trump said that being denied the prize meant he no longer felt obliged to think “purely of peace” and claimed the United States needed complete control of the Arctic island.
He has since escalated his rhetoric, vowing that Washington would take Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory, “one way or the other” and declaring that the time to act had arrived.
Trump also threatened to impose tariffs starting at 10% and rising to 25% on imports from several European countries unless they abandoned their objections to his plan.
The confrontation has thrown transatlantic trade relations into fresh turmoil and raised fears of damage to Nato, the alliance that has underpinned western security for decades.
In comments to NBC, Trump refused to rule out using military force, confirmed he would press ahead with tariffs, and accused Norway of controlling the Nobel process despite its formal independence.
He has justified his stance on national security grounds even though the US already operates a military base in Greenland and has agreements with Denmark allowing an expanded presence.
Denmark, Greenland and EU leaders have rejected the pressure, insisting on self-determination and international law as Brussels prepares an emergency summit to consider possible retaliation.
Norway’s prime minister, Jonas Gahr Støre,
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