As global anticipation builds ahead of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize announcement, former U.S. President Donald Trump has once again captured attention — this time for his renewed push to secure the prestigious award.
Despite multiple nominations and claims of major diplomatic achievements, analysts say Trump’s chances of winning remain remote, pointing to the Nobel Committee’s long-standing preference for sustained peace efforts, international cooperation, and multilateral diplomacy.
A Flurry of Nominations, but Low Odds
Trump has been nominated several times since 2018 — including most recently by U.S. Representative Claudia Tenney (R-NY) for his role in brokering the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations in 2020. However, nominations from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Pakistan’s government reportedly arrived after the February 1 deadline, making them ineligible for this year’s consideration.
Public lobbying, including Trump’s own remarks that “everyone says I should get the Nobel Peace Prize,” has fueled media buzz — but experts say the Nobel Committee, appointed by Norway’s parliament, makes its decisions privately and remains largely immune to public or political influence.
Critics Question His Peace Record
While Trump has touted his efforts to “end seven wars” and even proposed a peace plan for Israel and Hamas, Nobel observers emphasize that the prize typically honors long-term peacebuilding, not short-term ceasefires or political deals.
“There’s a huge difference between getting fighting to stop in the short term and resolving the root causes of the conflict,” said Theo Zenou, historian and research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society.
Zenou and others argue that Trump’s skepticism toward climate change and disdain for multilateral institutions run counter to the Nobel Committee’s values, which emphasize global cooperation and sustainable peace.
“When you look at previous winners who have embodied reconciliation and international cooperation — these are not words we associate with Donald Trump,” Zenou added.
Committee Avoids Political Pressure
Observers also note that the Nobel Committee may be wary of appearing politically influenced, especially after facing criticism in 2009 for awarding then-President Barack Obama the Peace Prize early in his tenure.
Nina Græger, director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo, said Trump’s outspoken self-promotion could hurt his prospects.
“His rhetoric does not point in a peaceful perspective,” she noted.
Background: Nobel Season Underway
The 2025 Nobel announcements began earlier this week with prizes in medicine, physics, and chemistry. The literature prize was awarded Thursday, while the economics prize will be announced Monday. The Peace Prize, traditionally the most politically charged, will be revealed shortly afterward in Oslo.
Despite public chants of “Nobel Prize to Trump!” in Tel Aviv following partial progress on his Gaza peace proposal, experts agree that Trump’s path to Oslo’s stage remains steep.
