Trump’s Nobel Peace Prize Hopes Face Stubborn Resistance from Norwegian Committee

Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s pursuit of the Nobel Peace Prize may face an uphill battle, as the Norwegian Nobel Committee insists it cannot be swayed by political pressure or media campaigns.

Since returning to the White House in January, the 79-year-old Republican has repeatedly declared that he “deserves” the award, boasting of ending six wars, despite ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine. Trump has also highlighted nominations or endorsements from leaders such as Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu and Azerbaijan’s Ilham Aliyev.

However, with nominations closing on January 31 — just 11 days after Trump took office — such endorsements may not apply to this year’s award.

“The committee considers each nominee on their own merits,” Kristian Berg Harpviken, secretary of the Nobel Committee, told AFP in Oslo.
“Media attention or campaigns have no impact on our discussions.”

This year, the committee is reviewing 338 candidates — individuals and organizations — before narrowing them down to a shortlist. The final laureate will be announced on October 10.

Calls, Campaigns, and Controversy

According to Norwegian media, Trump even raised the Peace Prize during a July phone call with Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg, a former NATO chief, while discussing trade tariffs. The ministry confirmed the call but not the subject of the prize.

Experts argue that pressuring the committee is likely to backfire. “If the committee were to give the prize to Trump now, it would be accused of bowing to pressure,” said Halvard Leira of the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs.

The committee has a history of defying political influence, most notably when it awarded the 2010 prize to Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo despite Norway’s warnings, straining relations with Beijing for years.

An Unlikely Laureate?

Critics remain doubtful of Trump’s chances. In August, three Nobel historians publicly argued against his candidacy, citing his praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose war in Ukraine rages on.

“The Nobel Committee would have to have lost its mind,” they wrote.

With Norway’s firm support for multilateralism — a principle often at odds with Trump’s “America First” approach — analysts believe his prospects of joining past laureates remain slim.