Trump's Continued Interest in the Nobel Peace Prize
Past U.S. President Donald Trump has had a perpetual fascination with the Nobel Peace Prize. He loves to trumpet minor conflicts around the globe and pose as a peacemaker. Recently, he boasted that he has facilitated peace agreements nearly each month. Can Trump win the Nobel Peace Prize? Really? And what is his real record of achievement as president?
Conflict with Barack Obama Over the Prize
Trump has long berated former President Barack Obama for being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize only nine months after his inauguration. Trump has often wondered why Obama was awarded the prize. Trump questioned publicly in 2019 why Obama was awarded the prize and stated that he was more worthy of it for some as-yet-unstated reasons.
Peace Efforts vs. Military Actions
While nominating himself as a peace candidate, Trump's track record is rife with heavy military action. According to information from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) project, Trump signed off on 529 airstrikes in 240 sites in Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia during his first six months. Joe Biden called for 555 strikes in four years. They involved some massive bombings in Iran.
Cuts to Foreign Aid and Global Impact
Trump had promised himself to bring in fiscal restraint immediately after getting inaugurated. He reduced funding for the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, that helps bring food aid into poor countries. According to the medical journal The Lancet, these cuts have the potential to endanger 14 million lives by 2030. However, each American pays only 18 cents a day towards USAID. While bringing in cost-effective measures, Trump claimed the move "saved lives," which critics argue is against reality.
Several Nobel Nominations, No Victory
Trump has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize several times, but not once received it. In 2018, 18 U.S. Republican congressmen and two representatives from Norway nominated him for his involvement in nuclear disarmament negotiations with North Korea. Though he was nominated, he did not receive the prize.
In 2020, a Swedish legislator, Australian professors, a Finnish politician, and an elected member of the European Parliament nominated him for the Abraham Accords. Once again, the Nobel Committee did not select him.
In 2024, U.S. Rep. Claudia Tenney nominated him again, as well as others. But the prize was awarded to a Japanese entity.
New Claims in 2025
By 2025, Trump has had at least four Nobel Peace Prize nominations. Prominent individuals like Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir endorsed these. The White House stated that Trump facilitated peace deals between a number of nations: Thailand and Cambodia, Israel and Iran, Israel and Hamas, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Serbia and Kosovo, Egypt and Ethiopia, and India and Pakistan. They assert that he has brokered one peace deal each month.
Ukraine-Russia War and Trump's Position
While campaigning, Trump had vowed to finish the war between Ukraine and Russia within 24 hours of assuming office. But 24 weeks are gone, and the war rages on. Western sources give an estimate of about 250,000 Russian deaths and a million Ukrainian deaths. Trump is now asserting that he is pressurizing Russia to end the war. He also faulted India for purchasing oil from Russia, even though India is a strategic partner. He said he did not take credit for the Pakistan ceasefire, although he employed the crisis to enhance his peace credentials.
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