What did the norwegian PME say to Trump at Davos?

Checked on January 21, 2026
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Executive summary

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre reported that in his exchange surrounding the Davos trip he told President Trump that the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by an independent committee and not by the Norwegian government, and that Norway opposes U.S. tariff threats and supports Denmark on Greenland while backing responsible NATO steps in the Arctic [1] [2]. Støre also said he had proposed de‑escalation and a three‑way phone call with Finland’s president after Trump announced tariffs tied to Greenland [1].

1. What Støre told Trump about the Nobel Peace Prize

Støre publicly stated he had “clearly explained, including to President Trump” that the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by an independent Nobel Committee and that the Norwegian government does not decide the award, a point repeated in his official statement released by his office [1] [3]. Multiple outlets quote the Norwegian leader saying he has had to make that distinction “on several occasions” after Mr. Trump tied resentment over not receiving the prize into his messaging about Greenland [4] [5].

2. How Støre framed the Greenland and tariff dispute to Trump

According to Støre’s statement, his message to Mr. Trump — sent on behalf of himself and Finland’s President Alexander Stubb — conveyed opposition to the U.S. tariff announcement against Norway, Finland and other countries, urged de‑escalation and proposed a telephone conversation among the three leaders to calm tensions [1]. Norway’s government also emphasized it supports the Kingdom of Denmark’s sovereignty over Greenland and called for NATO to act responsibly to strengthen Arctic stability — positions Støre said he communicated in the exchange [2] [1].

3. What prompted Støre’s message: Trump’s texts and tariffs

The Norwegian leader’s outreach came after President Trump sent a retaliatory text that linked his displeasure over not winning the Nobel to renewed pressure on Greenland and threatened tariffs on several European allies; Trump wrote that he “no longer feel[s] an obligation to think purely of Peace” and asserted the U.S. needed “Complete and Total Control of Greenland,” language widely reported in the U.S. and international press [6] [5]. Norway released the exchange under its freedom‑of‑information rules and Støre confirmed receipt of the text [7] [1].

4. How other sources and analysts contextualized Støre’s remarks

International outlets and analysts used Støre’s clarification about the Nobel to underline that the Norwegian government has no formal role in the committee’s decisions and to spotlight the geopolitical oddity of linking a prize snub to territorial claims; commentators framed the exchange as an unprecedented provocation toward close NATO partners and as evidence of Mr. Trump’s personal fixation on the award [8] [9]. PBS, Reuters and the BBC all highlighted Støre’s point that the Nobel Committee operates independently from the Norwegian government [3] [7] [8].

5. Alternative readings and potential agendas

Supporters of the White House framed Trump’s messages as assertive defense of U.S. strategic interests in the Arctic and argued tariffs and pressure were legitimate bargaining tools; official White House statements defended the president’s concern for Greenland’s security [3]. Critics and some Nordic analysts portrayed the move as brinkmanship and personalized grievance masquerading as foreign policy, noting the conflation of a private award decision with territorial demands and tariff threats [9] [10]. Norway’s release of the exchange served multiple domestic and diplomatic aims: to rebut misattribution of Nobel authority, to rally allies around Danish sovereignty, and to publicly document an unusually blunt U.S. communication [1] [2].

6. What the reporting cannot confirm from the released exchange

The published statements and news reports confirm Støre’s key messages — the Nobel Committee’s independence, Norway’s support for Denmark and NATO, and the proposal to de‑escalate via a three‑way call — but the sources do not provide a verbatim transcript of any Davos face‑to‑face conversation beyond the text messages released, nor do they document private follow‑up negotiations or outcomes of Støre’s phone‑call proposal [7] [1]. Where analysts infer motive or competence, that reflects interpretation rather than new factual material in the released exchange [9].

Want to dive deeper?
What legal and historical claims govern sovereignty over Greenland?
How does the Norwegian Nobel Committee select laureates and what is the government's role?
What are NATO’s stated plans and capabilities for Arctic security and how do allies view them?