The Norwegian Nobel Committee has pushed back against US President Donald Trump’s campaign to win the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. Chair Jorgen Watne Frydnes said the committee bases its decision solely on Alfred Nobel’s will and the nominee’s peace efforts.
Frydnes explained that the committee receives thousands of letters each year from people trying to influence the prize. “The honour is for those who truly work for peace,” he said. The committee meets in a room lined with portraits of past laureates, reminding them of courage and integrity.
Recently, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado received the award. The White House criticized the decision, accusing the committee of putting politics over peace. Spokesperson Steven Cheung praised Trump, saying, “He has the heart of a humanitarian and moves mountains with his will.”
Trump responded that Machado had called him, saying she accepted the award on his behalf. He also joked that the Nobel Prize often reflects work from the previous year, explaining why he did not win for 2025. Trump has repeatedly claimed he deserves the prize, saying he ended seven long-standing wars that killed thousands.
The committee remains firm: the Nobel Peace Prize honours genuine peace efforts, not political campaigns or personal claims.
