House Speaker Mike Johnson defended President Trump’s letter to Norway’s prime minister, which complained about not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize and linked that perceived snub to a push for U.S. interests in Greenland. Johnson called Trump "probably the most deserving individual" and claimed he had resolved "eight to ten wars and conflicts," assertions that CNN reporters disputed. CNN’s Manu Raju pressed Johnson on the appropriateness and accuracy of the president’s remarks, and Edward-Isaac Dovere criticized Johnson’s defense. The letter also invoked NATO and argued for U.S. control over Greenland.
Johnson Defends Trump’s Controversial Nobel Letter, Calls Him 'Most Deserving Individual'
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) defended President Donald Trump’s contentious letter to Norway’s prime minister, which linked a perceived Nobel Peace Prize snub to a bid for Greenland, during a tense exchange with CNN on Wednesday.
CNN Chief Congressional Correspondent Manu Raju pressed Johnson about the tone and accuracy of the president’s message. Raju asked whether Trump’s letter — which criticized Norway for not awarding him the Nobel Peace Prize and argued for U.S. interests in Greenland — was an appropriate use of presidential rhetoric.
Johnson’s defense and disputed claims
Johnson replied that Raju’s framing “misportrays what he was doing,” and argued that many people view the Nobel committee’s decisions as political. He added that Trump was “probably the most deserving individual in the history of the country” to receive the prize and claimed the president had resolved “eight to ten wars and conflicts.”
CNN reporters on the scene challenged those assertions. When Raju noted that Norway’s prime minister would not personally decide Nobel laureates, Johnson said the prime minister nonetheless represented a country that had influence. CNN senior reporter Edward-Isaac Dovere summarized the exchange by saying Johnson defended one inaccurate statement by making another.
The letter
Dear Jonas: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America.
Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a ‘right of ownership’ anyway? There are no written documents, it’s only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also.
I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT
A clip of the interview and the letter were made public amid growing debate over the president’s rhetoric and foreign-policy implications.
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