In a major setback to his long-standing hopes, US President Donald Trump did not win the Nobel Peace Prize 2025, despite repeatedly claiming that he deserved it. The award instead went to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.
Nobel dashes Trump’s ‘Nobel’ hopes
Trump’s name, which had been widely mentioned in the media as a strong contender, was not included in the final list. In the months before the announcement, Trump had actively promoted himself as a global peacemaker, highlighting his 20-point Gaza peace plan and claiming credit for ending several wars.
The US President has been openly campaigning for the Nobel Peace Prize since his first term, often saying that many people believed he deserved it. Talk of him winning the award grew louder this year after he helped broker a historic peace deal between Israel and Hamas to end the two-year war in Gaza.
Under the first phase of Trump’s plan, both sides agreed to pause the fighting and release hostages, a move seen as a possible first step toward ending a deadly conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and caused a severe humanitarian crisis.
Why Trump didn’t deserve a Noble
- Firstly, Even after all the plans and peace talks, Trump’s efforts did not lead to a Nobel win. One major reason is that nominations for this year’s prize, which saw 338 entries, closed at the end of January, just after he returned to the White House.
- Secondly, the Nobel Peace Prize for 2025 recognises work done in the year 2024, a year when Donald Trump had been elected but had not yet taken office.
- Thirdly, during his two terms as President, Trump was nominated for the prize multiple times by various global leaders such as Russia, Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu, Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet, a Ukrainian politician, and lawmakers from the US, Sweden, and Norway. However, being nominated doesn’t mean someone automatically becomes a candidate, and the Nobel Committee never reveals the names of nominees before announcing the winner.
- Fourthly, what the Noble Committee said while announcing the winner is something that gives clarity on why Trump missed his chance of winning the Nobel this time. “Democracy is a precondition for lasting peace. However, we live in a world where democracy is in retreat, where more and more authoritarian regimes are challenging norms and resorting to violence,” the Nobel Committee said while announcing Machado as the winner. The committee further added that “Machado has been steadfast in her support for a peaceful transition to democracy.” And this is something the world does not relate to when it comes to Trump.