Trump Set To Get Nobel Nomination? Here's How Badly He Wants It

Last Updated:May 01, 2026, 09:56 IST

Throughout, Trump himself has repeatedly returned to the subject. He has openly argued that his role in resolving or easing multiple international conflicts merits recognition.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has officially commenced the selection process for one of the world’s most prestigious accolades, with 287 candidates placed under consideration for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.

While the identities of nominees remain sealed under the committee’s strict 50-year confidentiality rule, early indications suggest that US President Donald Trump is likely among those in contention. According to news agency Reuters, leaders from Cambodia, Israel and Pakistan have publicly said they nominated the Republican leader, citing his role in diplomatic efforts and conflict resolution.

Read More: Peace Prize Plot Twist: Is Trump Among Names In Nobel Mix?

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has received a total of 287 nominations for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. The figure, announced on Thursday by committee’s secretary Kristian Berg Harpviken, includes 208 individuals and 79 organisations. Many new names made it to the list this year.

This year’s pool includes a wide range of figures, with publicly disclosed nominees including Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy, climate activist Greta Thunberg, Francesca Albanese, and Maia Sandu.

Harpviken said that he was struck by the level of change in the nominations each year.

Trump’s likely inclusion follows a period of intense diplomatic engagement in West Asia, particularly around ceasefire negotiations and security talks involving the United States, Israel and Iran. His administration’s participation in high-level talks – including engagements in Islamabad – has been cited by nominators as a contribution toward regional stability.

Yet the renewed buzz also revives a familiar narrative: Trump’s long-running and highly public pursuit of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Over the years, he has repeatedly been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize – a highly sought-after distinction garnered by four US Presidents – but it continues to elude him.

One of Trump’s first nominations came early during his first term in office in 2018 when two Norwegian lawmakers and several US Republicans nominated him for efforts tied to North Korea’s denuclearisation push. In the years that followed, additional nominations came from European politicians and academics, often linked to his Middle East diplomacy and his stated policy of avoiding new wars.

The momentum continued into later years.

Throughout, Trump himself has repeatedly returned to the subject. He has openly argued that his role in resolving or easing multiple international conflicts merits recognition, while also expressing frustration at not receiving the prize.

Read More: Trump Says He Stopped 8 Wars But NATO Ally Norway ‘Foolishly’ Denied Him ‘Nobel’ Peace Prize

At several occasions, Trump claimed that he played a key role in ending India-Pakistan conflict during Operation Sindoor. He had claimed the two nuclear-armed neighbours were on the brink of a major conflict. “Like India and Pakistan – it would have been a nuclear war in my opinion. They were really going at it," he had said. “You know, the Prime Minister of Pakistan said, ‘President Trump has saved at least 10 million lives… he got us to stop firing.’"

India, however, has denied these claims. New Delhi has consistently maintained that the de-escalation followed established military communication channels between the two countries.

According to India’s position, Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations contacted the Indian DGMO after suffering heavy damage, following which both sides agreed to stop all firing and military action on land, in the air, and at sea with effect from May 10.

In 2025, Trump lambasted Norway after he was not awarded the Peace Prize, saying that he “single-handedly ENDED 8 WARS" but Norway, a NATO ally, “foolishly" chose not to award him the Nobel Peace Prize

However, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado presented Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize medal during a White House meeting, describing it as a personal symbol of gratitude. Trump called the gesture “a wonderful gesture of mutual respect."

The committee will now review the candidates over the coming months, with the winner set to be announced on October 9, followed by the award ceremony in Oslo on December 10.

For now, as speculation builds, one thing remains clear: regardless of the outcome, Trump’s pursuit of the Nobel Peace Prize is as persistent as ever.

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