In a remarkable disclosure, the Norwegian government has released the full text of a private exchange between Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere and former U.S. President Donald Trump. The messages, made public under Norway's freedom of information act, reveal a tense conversation about Greenland, trade, and the Nobel Peace Prize.
The Diplomatic Outreach and Its Swift Reply
The exchange began on January 18, when Prime Minister Stoere sent a text message at 3:48 p.m. Oslo time (1448 GMT). He wrote on behalf of himself and then-Finnish President Alexander Stubb, whom he referred to as "Alex." The message urged de-escalation on several fronts, including Greenland, Gaza, Ukraine, and recent U.S. tariff announcements.
Stoere's text emphasized the need for allies to "stand together" amidst global challenges and proposed a call to discuss the matters. The tone was collegial, addressing Trump as "Dear Mr President, dear Donald."
President Trump's reply came just 27 minutes later, at 4:15 p.m. Oslo time (1515 GMT). His response was starkly different, directly linking Norway's role in the Nobel Peace Prize to U.S. strategic interests.
Trump's Claims: Nobel Prize, NATO, and Greenland Control
In his message, Trump opened by stating, "Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace." He argued this freed him to prioritize what was "good and proper for the United States of America."
The former president then turned to Greenland, questioning Denmark's historical claim to the vast Arctic island. "Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a 'right of ownership' anyway?" he wrote, dismissing centuries of sovereignty as based merely on a boat landing.
Trump concluded with a bold assertion about Arctic security and NATO burden-sharing: "I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding... The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland." He signed the message, "President DJT."
Implications for Arctic Diplomacy and Alliance Politics
The release of these texts sheds unprecedented light on the unconventional and transactional nature of diplomacy during the Trump administration. It highlights how personal grievances, like the perceived Nobel Prize snub, were explicitly connected to high-stakes geopolitical issues such as Arctic sovereignty.
For Canada, a fellow Arctic nation with significant interests in the region's security and environmental future, this revelation is particularly salient. It underscores the fragility of traditional alliances when faced with unilateral claims and the potential for great-power competition in the strategically vital North.
The exchange, reported by Reuters journalist Nora Buli, remains a potent reminder of how digital communications have transformed statecraft, creating permanent records of once-private conversations that can redefine public understanding of international relations.
