Post Reports – "How Trump’s Nobel obsession is upending geopolitics"

The Washington Post | January 20, 2026
Host: Martine Powers
Guest: Steve Hendricks (London Bureau Chief)

Episode Overview

This episode delves into the intersection of Donald Trump’s long-standing desire to win the Nobel Peace Prize and how this personal fixation is now influencing U.S. foreign policy, particularly in the case of Greenland. Host Martine Powers interviews London bureau chief Steve Hendricks to unpack recent headline-grabbing incidents — notably, Trump’s text exchange with Norway’s Prime Minister, his threats of tariffs on European allies, and the ways in which the Nobel Peace Prize has become entangled in two major geopolitical flashpoints: Greenland and Venezuela.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump’s Obsession with the Nobel Peace Prize and Greenland

• Trump has sought the Nobel Peace Prize for years, but his disappointment over not receiving it has recently escalated, influencing his foreign policy conduct.
• Over the weekend, explosive texts between Trump and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre emerged, in which Trump cites not winning the Nobel as justification for abandoning peaceful approaches to U.S. foreign policy (00:36–01:12).
• Trump said, in effect, “since your country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize, having stopped eight wars plus, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of peace” (03:37–03:58).

2. The Greenland Controversy

• Trump is pushing aggressively for U.S. control over Greenland, even threatening tariffs on European countries that resist (02:14–02:53).
• His rationale fluctuates between U.S. national security (citing strategic interests and rare earth minerals) and, more personally, his sense of grievance over the Nobel snub (04:58–05:22).
• The Greenlandic and Danish governments, backed by public opinion polls, overwhelmingly oppose the idea of ceding sovereignty to the U.S. (07:45–08:16).
• European leaders have tried appeasement tactics with Trump, using flattery and negotiation instead of confrontation, but the Greenland issue has become a possible breaking point (08:27–11:18).

3. How World Leaders Now Communicate

• A key insight is the informality and immediacy of diplomacy in the Trump era, including world leaders discussing grave issues by text message and even sharing these exchanges on social media (13:49–15:15).
• Martine Powers notes: “It just seems like someone texting their friend about brunch plans...such a strange window into how high-level international negotiations are happening in this moment” (14:42–15:15).
• Steve Hendricks observes: “I remember covering the Obama administration and he wasn't even allowed to have a phone...everything sort of changing in this president's second term” (15:15–15:33).

4. Nobel Prize Politics in Venezuela

• The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.
• Trump’s reluctance to support Machado as Venezuela’s new leader may be related to jealousy over her winning the Nobel Peace Prize (16:42–17:57).
• Machado, in a symbolic act to curry favor with Trump, presented him with her Nobel medal during a White House visit:

  “I presented the President of the United States the medal, the Nobel Peace Prize...as a recognition for his unique commitment with our freedom.” (18:51–19:28)

5. Diplomatic Calculations and Fears

• Some argue the Nobel committee should just give Trump the prize to avert further geopolitical disruption (20:42–21:13), but European diplomats caution this won’t resolve deeper strategic ambitions behind his Greenland push (21:13–23:11).
• European leaders are debating whether to continue appeasement or to escalate with stronger retaliation, such as $100 billion in prepared EU tariffs (08:27–11:18).

6. Could the U.S. Invade Greenland?

• While the rhetoric is intense, few see an outright military invasion of Greenland as likely, even as some Trump advisors (like Stephen Miller) argue that Europe would never intervene militarily (23:45–26:22).
• Hendricks explains that most believe the episode will end in negotiation:

  “There are senior members of Congress...national security voices even inside Trump’s administration...who say...the end of NATO is not worth it. So...he can complain about the Nobel Peace Prize…but ultimately it’s going to be some new status...settled and not militarily.” (26:22–28:13)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Martine Powers (on the Nobel obsession):

  “A gold medal is a wonderful thing, but if you're not enough without it, you'll never be enough with it…I wonder if the same kind of logic applies here to the Nobel Peace Prize.” (00:10–00:28)

• Steve Hendricks (on European exasperation):

  “You can almost hear in his response the futility of that. I don't think [Norwegian PM Støre] expects that to quell Trump's anger.” (04:32–04:58)

• Steve Hendricks (on global shock):

  “The role of the Nobel Prize in this second Trump turn is...really hard to get your head around. I mean, it's clearly extremely important to him personally…He does not seem to have any compunction about laying claim to deserving it...” (17:57–18:31)

• Martine Powers (on the strangeness of diplomacy by text):

  “It just seems like someone texting their friend about brunch plans, but also like telling them, look, I don't think you're treating our mutual friend super awesome right now.” (14:42–15:15)

• Machado (on giving the medal to Trump):

  “In this case, a medal of the Nobel Peace Prize as a recognition for [Trump’s] unique commitment with our freedom.” (19:26–19:28)

• Steve Hendricks (on endgame scenarios):

  “There are people who see all the rhetoric and all the storming language as the public face of what will probably end up being a negotiated settlement…” (26:22–28:13)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Trump’s Nobel fixation and Greenland texts: 00:00–04:58
• Motivations behind Trump’s Greenland push: 05:22–07:45
• Greenlanders’ and Danes’ response: 07:45–08:16
• European diplomatic dilemma and tariffs: 08:27–11:18
• Digital diplomacy and leaked texts: 13:49–15:15
• Nobel Prize at the center of Venezuela crisis: 16:42–19:36
• Should the committee just give Trump the Nobel? 20:42–23:11
• Could Trump invade Greenland? Strategic calculus: 23:11–28:13

Conclusion

This episode paints a vivid picture of how Trump’s personal ambitions — especially his quest for the Nobel Peace Prize — are influencing high-stakes international relations. The Greenland dispute and the Venezuela crisis both reveal how symbolic gestures, presidential ego, and institutional norms collide in the current geopolitical moment. Diplomats are struggling to manage uncertainty and preserve alliances while the traditional rules for international negotiation are upended by personalization and informality at the very top.

For more detailed reporting and updates, visit The Washington Post or tune in to future episodes of Post Reports.