U.S. President Donald Trump has linked his push to take control of Greenland to his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize, as tensions with Europe escalate and the European Union considers retaliatory measures that could reignite a transatlantic trade war.
In an interview with NBC News, Trump declined to say whether he would use force to seize Greenland but repeated his threat to impose tariffs on European countries if a deal is not reached. The remarks come as the EU weighs countermeasures in response to Washington’s pressure on Denmark, a fellow NATO member.
Trump intensified his rhetoric in a text message to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere, released by Norway’s government on Monday, saying that after not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize he no longer felt obliged to think “purely of peace”.
The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, not Trump — a decision that has publicly irritated the U.S. president.
Trump has accused Denmark of being unable to protect Greenland from Russia or China, questioning Copenhagen’s sovereignty over the Arctic island and saying global security required “complete and total control” of the territory by the United States.
On Saturday, Trump said he would impose escalating tariffs from 1 February on Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland, as well as Britain and Norway, until the U.S. is allowed to buy Greenland.
Denmark rejected the threat, with Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen saying countries cannot be traded like commodities. Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the territory must decide its own future and would not bow to pressure.
The dispute has unsettled European markets and industry, reviving fears of a repeat of 2025’s trade war. EU leaders are set to discuss their response at an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday, including potential tariffs on 93 billion euros worth of U.S. imports or use of the bloc’s Anti-Coercion Instrument.
Several European leaders said they would seek talks with Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos, though Germany and Norway warned they were prepared to respond if tariffs were imposed. Britain called for calm dialogue between allies.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent cautioned Europe against retaliation, saying Trump’s interest in Greenland was driven by strategic considerations rather than resentment over the Nobel Prize.
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France is expected to decline a U.S. invitation to join a proposed international ‘Board of Peace’ on Gaza, with sources close to President Emmanuel Macron saying Paris is not prepared, at this stage, to give a favourable response.
Kurds in the northeastern Syrian city of Qamishli voiced caution on Monday (19 January) after the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) agreed to withdraw from large areas under a ceasefire deal with Damascus.
Portugal’s far-right leader André Ventura is using the presidential race to consolidate political power rather than to secure the office itself, according to a senior political analyst, who says the real objective lies in strengthening his position ahead of future parliamentary elections.
French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said on Monday (19 January) that the government will use special constitutional powers to force the passage of the 2026 budget without a parliamentary vote, despite earlier pledges to avoid doing so.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Saturday (17 January) that concerns over security in Greenland should be addressed within the framework of NATO, describing a ground military intervention as highly unlikely.
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European leaders voiced growing alarm on Sunday over U.S. threats to impose tariffs on eight NATO allies, warning the move could destabilize transatlantic relations and heighten tensions in the Arctic.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has signed a decree recognising Kurdish language rights, as government forces advanced against U.S.-backed Kurdish-led fighters despite U.S. calls for restraint.
More than 100 vehicles were involved in a massive pileup on Interstate 96 in western Michigan on Monday (19 January), forcing the highway to shut in both directions amid severe winter weather.
Morocco’s King Mohammed VI has accepted an invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump to become a founding member of the U.S.-led Board of Peace, while France has declined to take part, citing concerns over the body’s mandate.
France is expected to decline a U.S. invitation to join a proposed international ‘Board of Peace’ on Gaza, with sources close to President Emmanuel Macron saying Paris is not prepared, at this stage, to give a favourable response.
The death toll from Sunday's collision between a derailing high-speed train and a second oncoming train in southern Spain has risen to 40, dozens more injured.
Portugal’s far-right leader André Ventura is using the presidential race to consolidate political power rather than to secure the office itself, according to a senior political analyst, who says the real objective lies in strengthening his position ahead of future parliamentary elections.
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