The winner of the prestigious award was revealed by the Norwegian Nobel Committee today (October 10), the same day that troops in Israel began withdrawing from parts of Gaza after the country’s government approved the first phase of Trump’s ceasefire deal.
Trump has claimed in recent months that he’s ‘ended six wars’, and just weeks into his second term in the Oval Office he declared he ‘deserves’ the Nobel Peace Prize, but added: “They will never give it to me.”
In spite of this claim, the POTUS was indeed nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize by a number of prominent people, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, being nominated does not automatically make someone a candidate to win.
Machado received the award on October 10 (AFP VIDEOGRAPHICS/AFP via Getty Images)
Now, it’s been confirmed that Trump has not been named as the recipient of the award, which this year went to Venezuelan opposition leader and pro-democracy campaigner Maria Corina Machado.
Trump is yet to comment publicly on Machado’s win at the time of writing (October 10), but experts have shared their thoughts on why the US president was unlikely to win.
Asle Sveen, an author and a a historian of the Nobel Peace Prize, said Trump ‘no chance to get the Peace Prize at all’, ABC News reports.
Alfred Nobel’s will, which is the award’s foundation, states that the Peace Prize should be given to the person who has ‘done the most or best to advance fellowship among nations’.
Nina Graeger, director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo, has claimed that Trump simply didn’t fit that criteria.
Experts have said Trump didn’t fit the criteria for a prize (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
When announcing Machado as the winner of the prize, the Nobel Committee referred to the importance of democracy – a topic called into question under Trump’s leadership.
It said: “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 committee added that ‘Machado has been steadfast in her support for a peaceful transition to democracy’.
Darren Kew, dean of the Joan B Kroc School of Peace Studies at the University of San Diego, also noted that the period being reviewed for this year’s winner was 2024 – before Trump’s return to office – though he admitted the committee ‘can decide on whoever it wishes’.
He added: “If you look at [Trump’s] domestic record and his other international record, he has a lot of detractors as well.”
On top of this, some of the nominations for Trump, including the one from Netanyahu, were submitted after the January 31 deadline.
