Donald Trump had seemingly foreseen the outcome of the Nobel Peace Prize well before it was announced. The prestigious award was bestowed upon Venezuelan democracy advocate and opposition figure Maria Corina Machado, lauded by the panel as a “brave champion of liberty.”
Both Machado and the US president were among the 244 individuals and 94 organizations in the running for the prize. Despite being nominated, Trump had previously expressed skepticism about winning, citing a belief that the prize was typically awarded to individuals with liberal leanings. The 79-year-old had asserted his worthiness for the prize, attributing himself to resolving various international conflicts.
In a statement back in June, Trump took credit for brokering a peace deal between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, marking an end to long-standing hostilities. He also claimed involvement in resolving disputes between India and Pakistan, Serbia and Kosovo, and Egypt and Ethiopia, and partaking in ceasefire discussions to bring peace to Gaza after a prolonged conflict with Israel. Despite these claims, doubts lingered among critics regarding his actual contributions to ending these conflicts.
Expressing his views on the social network Truth Social, Trump remarked, “No, I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize no matter what I do. But the people know, and that’s all that matters to me!” He had previously voiced disappointment at not receiving the award multiple times and contended that the prize eluded him due to a bias towards liberals.
Leading up to Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize win, Trump actively shared content supporting his own candidacy for the award. However, as of the latest update, the former president had not publicly reacted to the announcement.
The Nobel Committee awarded Machado the prestigious accolade at the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo, Norway, recognizing her relentless efforts in advocating for democratic rights and facilitating a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy in Venezuela. The committee highlighted Machado’s alignment with Alfred Nobel’s peace prize criteria, emphasizing her unyielding opposition to the militarization of Venezuelan society and her unwavering commitment to a peaceful transition.
When queried about Trump’s omission from the prize list, Nobel Committee chairman Jorgen Watne Frydnes explained that the decision was rooted in Alfred Nobel’s principles. He underscored the committee’s commitment to integrity and courage in selecting laureates, reflecting on the extensive deliberations conducted in honoring recipients of the prestigious award.