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US President Donald Trump has escalated his push to assert control over Greenland, questioning Denmark’s sovereignty over the Arctic territory and signalling a tougher approach towards European allies as governments across the region weigh their responses to renewed tariff threats from Washington.
In a text message exchange published on Monday, Trump told Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre that he no longer felt obliged to think “purely of peace,” linking his remarks to his long-standing frustration over not receiving a Nobel Peace Prize. In the same message, Trump challenged Denmark’s claim to Greenland and said the United States required “complete and total control” of the island for national security reasons. The comments came days after Trump warned that countries opposing his Greenland plan could face new tariffs, a move that has drawn criticism from several European capitals.
European leaders, including those in Germany and France, condemned the tariff threats, while the European Union said it would hold an emergency summit to consider its response. EU officials said their priority remained dialogue rather than escalation but acknowledged the need to prepare countermeasures if trade pressure intensified. Financial markets reacted nervously, with European stock indices falling and investors turning to safe-haven assets amid concerns over a wider trade dispute.
Greenland’s government rejected Trump’s assertions, saying external pressure would not influence the territory’s future. Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said Greenland was a democratic society with the right to make its own decisions, adding that tariff threats made no difference to its position. Protests were held across the island over the weekend, reflecting growing public opposition to US control.
The dispute has unfolded against a backdrop of rising strategic interest in the Arctic, where climate change is opening new shipping routes and improving access to natural resources. Greenland holds significant reserves of critical minerals, including rare earth elements used in clean energy technologies and defence systems, which makes it increasingly important to global supply chains. Trump has repeatedly argued that Greenland is vital to US security, despite the United States already operating a major military facility at Pituffik Space Base under long-standing agreements with Denmark, a NATO ally.
Denmark has sought to reinforce cooperation with allies rather than confront Washington directly. Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen met NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Monday to discuss Arctic surveillance and security coordination, while the North American Aerospace Defense Command said US and Canadian aircraft would soon arrive in Greenland for previously planned activities. NATO officials have emphasised the importance of collective security in the Arctic as geopolitical competition intensifies.
Norway’s prime minister said Trump’s message followed a joint communication from him and Finnish President Alexander Stubb expressing opposition to the tariff threats, and he stressed that the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by an independent committee, not by the Norwegian government. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, dismissed suggestions that the Nobel issue was influencing US policy, calling such claims unfounded.
Analysts say the episode highlights how energy security, critical mineral access and climate-driven changes in the Arctic are reshaping geopolitics and testing alliances. For Europe, it has sharpened concerns over the use of trade measures as political leverage, while for Greenland, it has renewed debate over sovereignty, environmental protection and the future management of its natural resources. As diplomatic efforts continue, the challenge for all sides will be balancing security interests and economic stability without undermining long-standing partnerships.
