Donald Trump's intense pursuit of the Nobel Peace Prize is believed to have been a key motivator in his recent diplomatic efforts to broker peace deals in Ukraine and Gaza. Since returning to the White House, the US president has openly coveted the award, with his campaign to influence the Norwegian Nobel committee intensifying in the hours before the announcement.
As news broke of a landmark agreement potentially ending the Gaza war between Israel and Hamas, Trump's allies publicly advocated for him to receive the prize. Republican congressman Brian Mast of Florida stated on Fox News that the Nobel committee should give Trump the award, while former Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy expressed Israeli consensus that Trump deserves the prize. Trump acknowledged both men on his social media platform, Truth Social.
Behind the scenes, Trump has been actively lobbying, including a phone call to Norway's finance minister Jens Stoltenberg this summer to discuss the Nobel prize and tariffs. He frequently claims to have ended multiple wars since his return to office, a remark that has become a running joke among European diplomats. One senior diplomat noted that Trump's talk of solving seven wars is a clear message to award him the prize.
The Nobel ambition is thought to have influenced Trump's recent push for a ceasefire in Ukraine, culminating in a summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska. However, after Putin remained unmoved, Trump shifted focus to Gaza. The timeline for the Nobel announcement has played a role in negotiations, with officials expecting a peace deal by Friday, the same day the committee announces its choice.
In an ironic twist, the Norwegian committee told Agence-France Presse that it held its final meeting on Monday, two days before Trump announced the first phase of the Gaza peace deal on Truth Social. Despite the naked ambition behind Trump's efforts, even critics of the war have hailed the deal as a major achievement, with Israeli peace activist Gershon Baskin calling it a morning for celebration as the killing and destruction will stop.
