USAupdated 2h ago2 min read
Donald Trump Says Nobel Peace Prize Committee Would Face Great Discredit If He Doesn’t Win
Trump says it would be a 'great discredit' if he doesn’t win. Trump asserts he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize and is among 287 nominees.
Trump presses Nobel bid
U.S. President Donald Trump said it would be a "great discredit" to the Nobel Peace Prize committee if it does not give him the prize this year, as the Norwegian Nobel Committee is set to announce the winner on Friday.
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, "I don't know what their decision is going to be," and he added, "They have a reputation for maybe not giving it to people like me."
Trump argued that his record entitles him to the award, saying, "I have done far more," and he claimed, "I have ended eight wars" and "rescued hostages."
Trump also said he may have prevented "the complete destruction of the world" by preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, and he framed the Nobel as recognition for ending disputes and preventing new conflicts.
Committee faces Trump shadow
The Norwegian Nobel Committee is expected to weigh whether awarding the Nobel could cause "more harm than good" in light of potential reactions from the White House, as analysts described Trump as a "ghost" or "specter" looming over the announcement in Oslo. Haakon Gjerlow, director of the Oslo Peace Research Institute (PRIO), said, "I think last year’s events related to the Nobel Peace Prize (…) will influence the committee’s deliberations," and he described Trump as "the ghost present in the room."
Kristian Berg Harpviken, secretary of the committee, told AFP that "There is always a lot of lobbying" and that the committee is "very used to that," while insisting, "That does not mean we do not discuss it." The reporting also said 287 people and organizations have been proposed for the Nobel Peace Prize this year, with their identities remaining secret for at least 50 years.
Nominations, favorites, stakes
Reuters said Pope Leo, the International Criminal Court, and the special rapporteur for the Palestinian Territories are among the favorites to win this year, while it also noted that leaders of Cambodia, Israel and Pakistan have said they nominated Trump.
“‘I'm not bragging. I'm just telling you the facts.”
Trump’s campaign for the prize also relied on his claim that he should win after wading into eight conflicts since taking office last January, even as Reuters said he has yet to broker peace in Ukraine.
USA Today reported that Trump said he should win for getting Israeli hostages back from Hamas and for settling eight conflicts, and it quoted him saying, "I'm not bragging. I'm just telling you the facts."
The stakes in the reporting centered on whether the Nobel committee will be influenced by Trump’s pressure, with Reuters describing Trump’s doubt about his chances and the committee’s announcement coming on Friday.