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Make the Nobel Peace Prize great again!: Unpacking impacts of Donald Trump's Nobel campaign
The mere fact that the current US President reportedly covets the Nobel Peace Prize through direct pressure is enough to tarnish the brand and everything it has stood for over a century.
The Nobel Peace Prize, for more than a century humanity’s highest recognition of peace and moral leadership, now faces a brand and existential crisis. The threat comes not from warlords or dictators, but from the relentless lobbying of an American president, as Donald Trump's pursuit of the award has escalated from subtle hints to brazen campaigning.
Reports reveal Trump even phoned Norway’s Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg to ask about the prize - during a conversation about tariffs. Far from diplomatic subtlety, it was a direct demand to an official from the nation hosting the Nobel Committee.
Trump has cast himself as a “peacemaker,” meeting and calling world leaders in an apparent bid to position himself as broker of peace in wars. But dynamite-inventor Alfred Nobel’s will was clear: the prize must honour those who “shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations.” The operative word is done - celebrating actual accomplishments, not political promises.
Peril of turning into a political prop
What makes Trump’s campaign especially troubling is its transparency. Despite claiming otherwise, he has enlisted allies. Benjamin Netanyahu wrote to the committee praising him, and multiple countries reportedly submitted nominations. This orchestrated push turns the prize into a political trophy, undermining its credibility.
Now, another world leader has chimed in. French President Emmanuel Macron said that Trump could only be considered for the Nobel Peace Prize if he successfully ends the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians over Gaza. Speaking to BFMTV on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Macron said, “There is only one person who could do something in the current situation — the American president.”
“I see an American president who is mobilised and who said this morning (Tuesday to the General Assembly) ‘I want peace, I will solve this conflict’. Who wants the Nobel Peace Prize. The Nobel Peace Prize is only possible if you stop this conflict,” Macron added.
More than one
Trump’s own claims make the problem about his Nobel campaign abundantly clear. He has said he “should have gotten it four or five times,” citing Rwanda, Congo, Serbia, Kosovo, India and Pakistan. Such statements betray a misunderstanding: the Nobel is not a participation award for routine diplomacy but recognition of extraordinary sacrifice in service of peace.
The Nobel Committee now faces a trap. Even if Trump somehow delivers a major peace agreement, awarding him the prize risks appearing to reward lobbying, forever tainting the decision. The prize’s power has always been symbolic - recognizing achievements while inspiring future ones. If it becomes something won through pressure campaigns rather than merit, its inspirational value evaporates.
History makes Trump’s pursuit all the more jarring. Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela and Malala Yousafzai earned their awards through sacrifice, often at great personal risk. None campaigned for recognition. The contrast with a sitting president lobbying Norwegian officials is stark.
Indeed, a Norwegian think tank recently omitted Trump from its list of possible 2025 laureates, instead naming groups like Sudan’s Emergency Response Rooms and the Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom. The omission speaks volumes about how experts view his campaign.
To be, or not to be, Trump's trophy
The committee must now decide: maintain independence and risk Trump’s wrath, or capitulate and sacrifice moral authority. The Nobel has weathered wars, upheavals and controversial selections, but it may not survive the perception of being captured by the loudest voice.
Interestingly, all nominations are kept strictly secret for 50 years. The Nobel Committee doesn’t release names of nominees and nominators are discouraged from publicizing their choices.
Critics note that Trump wouldn’t be the first questionable choice. Past awards to Henry Kissinger, Barack Obama and Ethiopia’s Abiy Ahmed already raised doubts about political bias. In that sense, Trump’s lobbying represents not an aberration but the culmination of a troubling trend.
The Nobel Peace Prize stands at a precipice. Its custodians must choose between integrity and irrelevance. To borrow from Trump’s own slogan playbook: the world is waiting to see if they can 'Make the Nobel Peace Prize Great Again'.
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