For years, Donald Trump has fixated on three things: presidential power, revenge against his enemies, and winning the Nobel Peace Prize, reports Axios.
Now, his administration is aggressively campaigning for that long-elusive honor, a push that played a subtle role in last Friday’s fiery Oval Office clash with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump’s Team Ramps Up Nobel Push
Trump’s inner circle is increasingly tying his foreign policy efforts to his Nobel aspirations, particularly as he seeks to end conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News in February that Trump deserves the award for his efforts to stop the Russia-Ukraine war, saying, “If it were fairly awarded, I think in a year, he should get it.”
At last week’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), top Trump allies publicly backed his Nobel bid, including Rep. Elise Stefanik, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. “By the end of this all, we’re going to have the Nobel Prize sitting next to the name of Donald J. Trump,” Waltz declared.
Can Trump Actually Win?
Winning the Nobel Peace Prize would require Trump to make real progress toward ending major global conflicts. But Friday’s explosive meeting with Zelensky, where Trump reportedly kicked the Ukrainian leader out of the White House, could complicate that goal—especially as European allies watch closely.
Trump has long sought validation from the Nobel committee, but even before the Oval Office showdown, he doubted he’d ever win, blaming the process. He has repeatedly criticized Barack Obama’s Nobel win in 2009, calling it undeserved and claiming he should have received one “for a lot of things.”
A History of Nobel Nominations—But No Wins
Trump has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize multiple times, including by Norwegian and Swedish politicians during his first term. Most recently, Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.) nominated him for brokering the Abraham Accords, a peace deal between Israel, the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco. Still, the prize remained out of reach.
Now, Trump has two new nominations for 2025:
- Israeli-born law professor Anat Alon-Beck nominated him for his role in negotiating Middle East peace efforts.
- Ukrainian politician Oleksandr Merezhko also put his name forward.
The Nobel committee will announce its shortlist soon, with the final winners revealed in October.
Critics Say Trump’s Nobel Dreams Are Unlikely
Trump’s critics argue that his foreign policy doesn’t merit a Nobel—especially with his controversial stance on Russia and NATO. Former National Security Adviser John Bolton, now a Trump critic, dismissed the idea, saying, “They should be treated equally—neither of them deserve it,” referring to Trump and Obama.
Despite skepticism, Trump remains determined, recently telling reporters, “I deserve it—but they would never give it to me.” With his White House allies turning up the pressure, the coming months could prove crucial in his bid for the prestigious global prize.
