He has said it, lobbied for it, and even bullied his way for it. And even grumbled that Barack Obama got it “for no reason”. This is so badly that US President Donald Trump wants his hands on the Nobel Peace Prize. While Trump’s confidence is as grand as ever, the probability of him joining the ranks of Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter and Obama seem a piecemeal development.
Yet, Trump, a master of political theatre who thrives on spectacle, will be hoping with bated breath to hear his name when the Norwegian Nobel Committee announces the award on Friday at 11 am. His latest pitch? Getting Israel and Hamas to agree on the first phase of a peace framework.
The eccentric US President’s obsession with the Nobel Peace Prize is not new. Trump was also nominated for the prize in his first term for the Abraham Accords, which paved the way for the normalisation of relations between Israel and Arab nations.
But, this time he has worn the ambition on his sleeve, claiming to have resolved six to seven wars in as many months, including a conflict between India and Pakistan that could have gone nuclear.
While Pakistan has massaged Trump’s ego by nominating him for the Nobel, India has not given in to such pressure, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi bluntly telling the President that he had no business in forging the ceasefire. The result – a steep 50% tariffs and a trade deal in limbo.
However, Pakistan’s nomination means little. So does other nominations, including by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Cambodia and Gabon.
The reason is simple – none of the nominations were submitted before the February 1 deadline, making them invalid for consideration this year.
The only valid nomination was submitted by New York Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, citing Trump’s leadership in establishing the Abraham Accords. Thus, Trump’s best bet maybe next year.
