President Donald Trump criticized the Norwegian Nobel Committee on Saturday for excluding him from the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize selection. In a Truth Social post, he cited a series of diplomatic and military accomplishments to justify his belief that he deserved the award. The post detailed claims that he settled eight wars, was close to ending two more, and secured the release of all Israeli hostages, including the final 28. Trump also stated that he won a war in Venezuela, captured its dictator, and prevented Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. Despite these claims, he noted that neither he nor the United States received the prize, concluding with the exclamation "WOW!"
This is not the first time Trump has publicly expressed interest in the Nobel Peace Prize. Norwegian lawmakers put forward his name in 2018, citing his diplomatic work on North Korea and nuclear disarmament. Two years later, he told reporters that he expected to win if the committee judged candidates fairly. Although the Norwegian Nobel Committee does not release a public list of nominees, Trump has been nominated at least five times according to those who submitted his name. Past nominators include former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2019 and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2025.
The 2026 prize was awarded to South African jurist Navi Pillay, despite Trump being nominated again this year by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and others. Pillay, 85, was the first non-White woman appointed to South Africa's high court. She later served as a judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Court. From 2008 to 2014, she held the position of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The Nobel Committee highlighted Pillay's role as chair of the U.N.'s Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Palestinian Territory and Israel in its announcement. However, her selection drew criticism from some quarters. Anne Bayefsky, president of Human Rights Voices and director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights, described Pillay as a leader at the forefront of spreading antisemitism in the 21st century. Bayefsky made these remarks in a statement to Fox News Digital's Efrat Lachter.
In contrast, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres praised Pillay's career on Friday. In a statement, Guterres described her as a steadfast, independent voice of justice who championed international law and human rights for decades. The award decision stands as a point of contention, with supporters citing her legal work and critics pointing to perceived biases in her recent commissions.