Trump says failure to receive the Nobel peace prize means he no longer feels the need to think ‘purely of peace’ – key US politics stories from 19 January
An extraordinary text message exchange between Donald Trump and Norway’s prime minister has revealed the US president no longer felt “an obligation to think purely of peace” because he didn’t get the Nobel peace prize, as he again declined to rule out seizing Greenland by force.
The disclosure of the exchange with prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre comes amid a concerted push by Trump to grab the territory, a largely self-governing part of Denmark. In recent weeks, he has said the US would take control of the Arctic island “one way or the other” and, over the weekend: “Now it is time, and it will be done!!!”
On Monday, he told NBC news he would “100%” push ahead with his plan to impose tariffs on the country’s allies, and blamed Norway for denying him the Nobel prize. “Norway totally controls it despite what they say. They like to say they have nothing to do with it, but they have everything to do with it,” he said.
The Nobel peace prize is awarded by the Norwegian Nobel committee, a five-member private body whose members – mostly retired politicians – are appointed by Norway’s parliament but whose decisions are independent of the government.