by John Irish and Nora Buli
PARIS/OSLO, Jan 19 (Reuters) – US President Donald Trump in a written message to the Prime Minister of Norway said that he no longer felt obliged “to think purely about Peace” because he had not been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and he repeated his request for control of Greenland.
The note, shared widely with other nations by the US administration, was in response to a brief message to Trump from Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere and Finnish President Alexander Stubb opposing his decision to impose tariffs on European allies over their refusal to let the United States take control of Greenland, Stoere said in a statement.
In their message, Stoere and Stubb indicated the need to reduce the rhetoric and requested a phone call with Trump, said the Norwegian premier’s statement. Trump’s response came only a short time after they sent their message.
TRUMP SAYS HE WILL FOCUS ON WHAT IS GOOD FOR US
“Dear Jonas: Considering that your country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for setting up 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel the obligation to think purely in Peace, although it will always be predominant, but now I can think about what is good and appropriate for the United States of America,” wrote Trump in his response, seen by Reuters.
Trump campaigned openly for the Nobel Peace Prize, which was awarded last year to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.
“I have several times clearly explained to Trump the well-known fact that it is an independent Nobel Committee, and not the Norwegian government, that gives the prize,” Stoere said.
Machado presented Trump with her gold medal during a White House meeting last week, although the Norwegian Nobel Committee said the award cannot be transferred, shared or revoked.
The Nobel Committee did not immediately respond Monday to a request for comment.
In his message to Stoere, Trump also once again questioned Danish sovereignty over Greenland, saying: “Denmark can’t protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a ‘right of ownership’ anyway?”
“There are no written documents, it’s just that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, too.”
Danish sovereignty over the vast and mineral-rich island is documented in a series of binding legal instruments including a treaty agreed in 1814. The United States has repeatedly recognized that Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
Trump concluded his message to Stoere with typical ebullience.
“I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO must do something for the United States. The World is not safe until we have Full and Total Control of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT.”
(Reporting by John Irish in Paris and Nora Buli in Oslo, additional reporting by Gwladys Fouche in Oslo, writing by Stine Jacobsen, editing by Gareth Jones)