Don’t Care: Trump Reverses Course on Nobel Peace Prize, Cites Letter to Norway

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed that he no longer “cares” about the Nobel Peace Prize, marking a sharp reversal from his earlier public interest in the prestigious global honour.

Speaking to reporters, Trump sought to downplay the importance of the prize, even as he continued to reference it in the context of foreign policy decisions and long-standing grievances with Europe.

Trump praised Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Machado, calling her a “very fine woman,” and thanked her for symbolically sharing her Nobel recognition with him.

“The Nobel Prize doesn’t matter to me,” Trump said. “First of all, a very fine woman thought I deserved it and really wanted me to have the Nobel Peace Prize, and I appreciate that.”

Machado, a prominent opponent of ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, visited the White House last week and presented Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize medal — a gesture that appeared to carry deep personal significance for the former US president.

Trump has previously expressed dissatisfaction with the Norwegian Nobel Committee, particularly after Machado received the award instead of him — a moment that, by his own admission, left a lasting impression.

In a letter addressed to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, Trump appeared to link his disappointment over the Nobel decision to a broader shift in how he views global responsibilities and US foreign policy.

“I no longer feel obligated to think purely about peace,” Trump wrote, referring to Norway’s role in the Nobel process. He claimed the decision not to award him the prize for “preventing more than eight conflicts” had fundamentally altered his outlook.

“I can now focus on what is right and proper for the United States of America,” Trump said, adding that American dominance would remain central to his thinking.

In the same letter, Trump escalated his rhetoric on Greenland, questioning Denmark’s sovereignty over the territory and tying the issue directly to global security.

“Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or china,” Trump wrote. “And why do they have a ‘right of ownership’ anyway? We had boats landing there hundreds of years ago, but there are no written records.”

Trump also took aim at NATO, asserting that he had contributed more to the alliance than any previous leader and insisting that NATO now owed the United States reciprocal action.

“Since NATO was founded, I have done more for it than anyone else,” he wrote. “Now NATO should do something for the United States. Until we have complete and total control of Greenland, the world is not safe.”

The letter concluded with a characteristic sign-off: “I’m grateful! DJT, President.”

Trump’s remarks came amid heightened tensions between Washington and European capitals, driven by his renewed push for US sovereignty over Greenland and his administration’s proposed tariff increases targeting several European countries.

His comments suggest a clear connection — at least in his own framing — between the Nobel Peace Prize decision and his evolving posture on global issues ranging from territorial security to economic policy.

Responding to Trump’s assertions, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre reiterated that the Nobel Peace Prize selection process is entirely independent of the Norwegian government.

“I have clearly explained, including to President Trump, what is well known — the prize is awarded by an independent Nobel Committee and not by the Norwegian Government,” Støre said.

Støre added that Trump’s message followed recent outreach from Nordic leaders, including Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who had urged restraint and de-escalation amid rising trade tensions between the United States and Europe.

As tariff threats and geopolitical disputes intensify, Trump’s latest remarks underscore how personal grievances, symbolism, and policy continue to intersect in his approach to global affairs.