Donald Trump only wanted to win the Nobel Peace Prize for one reason
Donald Trump has responded to losing the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan activist María Corina Machado. Instead of a personal statement, he used his Truth Social platform to repost a video featuring Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In the video, Putin criticizes the Nobel Committee, claiming it awards “prizes to undeserving folk” and that this practice has damaged the award’s credibility. Trump accompanied the repost with a simple message: “Thank you to President Putin.”
According to analysts and former officials, Trump’s desire for the prize is largely driven by a longstanding rivalry. It is widely believed he sought the award because his predecessor, Barack Obama, won it in 2009.
John Bolton, Trump’s former National Security Adviser, suggested Trump felt that if Obama could win the prize “for not doing anything,” then he should receive it as well. This perspective highlights a personal motivation behind Trump’s pursuit of the honor.
The Nobel Committee chairman, Jørgen Watne Frydnes, addressed the public pressure surrounding Trump’s candidacy. He affirmed that the committee’s decision was based solely on the criteria in Alfred Nobel’s will, ignoring external campaigns.
Despite being nominated by several countries for his role in various international conflicts, Trump was ultimately not selected. The prize was awarded to Machado for her courageous work promoting democracy in Venezuela.
This outcome ends Trump’s public quest for the Nobel Peace Prize, a goal that appears to have been deeply personal and rooted in a desire to match the achievements of a political rival.
