U.S. President Donald Trump stated on the 19th (local time) that he will "execute 100%" his plan to impose tariffs on some European countries if an agreement is not reached for the United States to acquire Greenland.

President Trump responded to a related question during a telephone interview with NBC News that day. However, when asked if he would use military force to acquire Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark, he said, "No comment."

On the 17th, President Trump announced his intention to impose tariffs on eight countries—Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland—of 10% starting February 1st and 25% starting June 1st, citing their deployment of troops to Greenland.

He also commented, "These tariffs will be imposed until an agreement is reached for the complete and total purchase of Greenland."

In the interview, President Trump repeatedly argued that Greenland is necessary to protect national security from external threats and criticized European leaders who resisted his efforts, NBC reported.

President Trump emphasized, "Europe should focus on the war between Russia and Ukraine. That's what Europe should be focusing on, not Greenland."

President Trump also claimed that "Norway (the government) has complete control" over the selection of Nobel Peace Prize laureates, regardless of what others say.

He added, "They like to say 'they have nothing to do with it,' but they are involved in everything." This dismisses the Norwegian government's stance that the selection of Nobel Peace Prize laureates is solely the decision of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, composed of members appointed by the Norwegian Parliament, and is unrelated to the government.

President Trump then said, "I'm not interested in the Nobel Prize," stating that saving many lives by mediating the cessation of eight wars is a greater reward.

It was reported that President Trump told Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre the previous day, "Since your country has decided not to award me the Nobel Peace Prize despite me stopping more than eight wars, I no longer feel obligated to think purely about 'peace'."

He continued, "While peace is always important, I can now think about what is good and appropriate for the United States. The world will not be safe unless we have complete and total control over Greenland."

Trump threatens Europe with 'Greenland tariffs' [Reuters Yonhap News]