Donald Trump had seemingly foreseen the outcome of the Nobel Peace Prize well before the announcement. The prestigious award was granted to Maria Corina Machado, a Venezuelan advocate for democracy and opposition leader, praised by the committee as a valiant champion of freedom.
Trump and Machado were both contenders among 244 individuals and 94 organizations in the running. Despite being nominated, Trump had previously expressed skepticism about receiving the award, believing it was typically bestowed upon liberals. The 79-year-old had asserted his own worthiness for the prize by attributing the resolution of various international conflicts to himself.
In June, Trump took credit for resolving a longstanding conflict between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He also claimed involvement in settling disputes between India and Pakistan, Serbia and Kosovo, and Egypt and Ethiopia, while engaging in ceasefire talks to broker peace in Gaza amid ongoing conflict with Israel. Despite these claims, doubts persist among critics regarding his actual contributions to ending these conflicts.
In a post on the social network Truth Social, Trump acknowledged that he did not expect to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, emphasizing that public recognition mattered more to him. Expressing frustration, he mentioned his belief that he should have been awarded the prize multiple times for his involvement in various peace efforts.
Leading up to Machado’s win, Trump actively shared videos and articles on the social network advocating for his own nomination. However, he had not publicly responded to the results at the time of reporting.
Machado was honored with this year’s Nobel Peace Prize for her relentless advocacy for democratic rights in Venezuela and her pursuit of a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy. The committee highlighted Machado’s unifying efforts within the Venezuelan opposition and her unwavering stance against the militarization of society, emphasizing her consistent support for a peaceful democratic transition.
When asked about the decision to omit Trump from the prize, Nobel Committee chairman Jorgen Watne Frydnes emphasized that the selection was guided by Alfred Nobel’s criteria. He underscored the committee’s commitment to integrity and courage in evaluating candidates for the prestigious award.