Why Trump's Nobel Peace Prize Prospects Remain Remote Despite High-Profile Nominations

Donald Trump has repeatedly stated he "deserves" the Nobel Peace Prize. (File)

Stavanger:

President Donald Trump's Nobel Peace Prize aspirations have heightened interest in the annual speculation regarding the prestigious award's next recipient.

Seasoned Nobel observers indicate that Trump's chances remain slim despite numerous high-profile nominations and foreign policy achievements for which he has claimed personal credit.

According to experts, the Norwegian Nobel Committee typically evaluates peace sustainability, international fraternity promotion, and the quiet institutional work strengthening these objectives. They suggest Trump's record might actually disadvantage him, citing his apparent skepticism toward multilateral institutions and limited engagement with global climate change concerns.

Nevertheless, the American president has consistently sought Nobel recognition since his first term, recently telling United Nations delegates that "everyone says that I should get the Nobel Peace Prize."

Self-nominations are not permitted for the prize.

Trump's public statements and previous nominations make him prominent among bookmakers' favorites. However, it remains unknown whether the five-member committee, appointed by Norway's parliament, discusses his candidacy during their confidential deliberations.

Since 2018, Trump has received multiple nominations from American citizens and international politicians. U.S. Representative Claudia Tenney (R-NY) submitted his name in December, her office confirmed, citing his role in brokering the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations in 2020.

Nominations from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Pakistan's government came after February 1, the submission deadline for the 2025 award.

Trump has consistently maintained he "deserves" the prize and claims to have "ended seven wars." Recently, he suggested the possibility of ending an eighth conflict if Israel and Hamas accept his peace plan for the Gaza war, which has continued for nearly two years.

"Nobody's ever done that," he told military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. "Will you get the Nobel Prize? Absolutely not. They'll give it to some guy that didn't do a damn thing."

Israel and Hamas have subsequently agreed to the initial phase of the Gaza peace plan, enabling a pause in hostilities and the exchange of Hamas-held hostages for Palestinian prisoners. Early Thursday, families of hostages and supporters in Tel Aviv's hostages square began chanting "Nobel prize to Trump."

Nobel experts emphasize that the committee values sustained, multilateral efforts over rapid diplomatic achievements. Theo Zenou, historian and Henry Jackson Society research fellow, noted that Trump's initiatives have yet to demonstrate long-term durability.

"There's a huge difference between getting fighting to stop in the short term and resolving the root causes of the conflict," Zenou explained.

Zenou also emphasized Trump's climate change skepticism as inconsistent with what many, including the Nobel committee, consider humanity's greatest long-term peace challenge.

"I don't think they would award the most prestigious prize in the world to someone who does not believe in climate change," Zenou stated. "When you look at previous winners who have been bridge-builders, embodied international cooperation and reconciliation: These are not words we associate with Donald Trump."

The Nobel committee faced significant criticism in 2009 for awarding then-President Barack Obama the prize only nine months into his presidency. Many critics argued Obama hadn't served long enough to achieve Nobel-worthy accomplishments.

Trump's outspokenness about potentially winning could also work against him: the committee would likely avoid appearing to yield to political pressure, according to Nina Græger, Peace Research Institute Oslo director.

Trump's chances for this year's prize are "a long shot," she remarked. "His rhetoric does not point in a peaceful perspective."

The Nobel announcements began with the medicine prize on Monday, followed by physics on Tuesday and chemistry on Wednesday. The literature prize is being announced Thursday, with the economics prize to follow on Monday.