Nobel Prize Committee: “Trump’s persistence in obtaining the prize will not convince us”

Challenges on the Path to Nobel

Oslo, Norway. The intensification of US President Donald Trump’s ambition to receive the Nobel Peace Prize faces the steadfast independence of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which has stated that it is not swayed by influence, writes September 12, 2025 www.timesofisrael.com.

Since taking office in the White House in January, Trump has not hidden his desire to receive this prestigious award. In 2009, his Democratic opponent Barack Obama received it, which was a surprise to many.

The 79-year-old billionaire uses every opportunity to claim that he “deserves” this award, pointing to the cessation of six wars.

Unexpected Independence of the Committee

Committee Secretary Kristian Berg Harpviken calls the situation interesting. He noted that media attention to certain candidates does not affect internal discussions:

“Each candidacy is considered solely on its merits,” he added in an interview in Oslo.

Candidate Evaluation Process

The Peace Prize will be announced on October 10. Trump relies on the support of foreign leaders who have nominated him. Among these nominations is Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who proposed Trump for his role in ending the conflict in Iran, as well as Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for participating in the signing of a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The government of Pakistan also expressed its intention to nominate Trump for his efforts in achieving a truce with India.

Despite this, for 2024, all nominations had to be submitted by January 31, making these events unlikely to be discussed as significant.

The Complexity of Winning the Prize

“Being nominated is not necessarily a great achievement. In fact, the main thing is to become a laureate,” said Berg Harpviken.

Candidates can be nominated by thousands of people, including members of parliament, ministers, former laureates, and university professors. The committee will evaluate 338 individuals and organizations, but the list will remain secret for 50 years.

Autonomy of the Nobel Committee

Members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, appointed by the country’s parliament, affirm their independence from politics and the state apparatus. For example, in 2010, the committee bypassed the government to award Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, leading to diplomatic isolation between Beijing and Oslo for a long time.

Norway advocates for multilateralism — a principle supported by Alfred Nobel. However, Trump’s current “America First” policy raises doubts about the possibility of his recognition. Experts say that a future award would be perceived as a concession.

As noted by Halvard Leira, director of the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, awarding Trump now would be seen as appeasement.

In August, three historians proposed reasons why Trump does not deserve the prize, including his sympathies for Russian Putin, who has been waging war with Ukraine for the third year.