A revealing hot mic moment at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate has exposed the former president's frustration over what he perceives as a lack of credit for his foreign policy efforts and his failure to win a Nobel Peace Prize.
The Mar-a-Lago Complaints
The audio, captured on Monday 30 December 2025, picked up Trump mid-conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a luncheon at the Florida resort. Reporters were entering the room for a scheduled "pool spray" when the microphone briefly caught Trump's private remarks.
"Do I get credit for it? No," Trump was heard complaining, apparently in reference to his role in halting an international conflict. "I did eight of them." He then began to gripe about the Nobel Peace Prize, stating, "They gave the Nob[el]..." before noticing the press and lowering his voice. He told Netanyahu, "And then I'll tell you the rest of it [later]."
Context of the Talks and Trump's Claims
The incident occurred during a brisk two-day diplomatic round involving Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who visited on Sunday. Trump also held two phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, as the talks concluded, the president could not point to any concrete solutions brokered with the involved parties.
During the meeting, Trump reiterated his frequent claim that he stopped as many as eight wars upon entering office. Critics argue this number is inflated, exaggerating both the severity of the conflicts and the US role in resolving them. One conflict he cites is between Israel and Iran, which saw a U.S.-brokered ceasefire after hostilities escalated in June 2025.
The Nobel Snub and an Alternative Award
Trump's frustration is particularly pointed given the recent awarding of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan dissident María Corina Machado. Trump was nominated for the prize this year by Netanyahu and two other leaders, but the campaign was unsuccessful. The snub is compounded by the fact that his political rival, Barack Obama, won the award in 2009.
Perhaps as a consolation, Netanyahu used the meeting to announce that Israel would bestow its highest cultural honour, the Israel Award, on Trump. Furthermore, following the collapse of his Nobel bid, the president of FIFA presented Trump with a separate "peace prize."
The hot mic episode offers a candid glimpse into the personal grievances that simmer beneath high-stakes diplomacy, revealing a leader preoccupied with legacy and recognition even amidst complex international negotiations.
