The U.S. President’s hopes of securing the Nobel Peace Prize have been dashed, as the Nobel Committee deemed Venezuela’s leading opposition figure, María Corina Machado, a more deserving recipient.
Trump himself had for years mentioned the prize multiple times, often in speeches or interviews, suggesting he had done enough to earn it.
While giving his speech at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Trump who touted himself as a global peacemaker, claimed he had ended seven wars.
He said, ‘I ended seven wars. And in all cases, they were raging, with countless thousands of people being killed. This includes Cambodia and Thailand, Kosovo and Serbia, the Congo and Rwanda – a vicious, violent war that was – Pakistan and India, Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, and Armenia and Azerbaijan.
‘There’s never been anything like that. Very honoured to have done it. It’s too bad that I had to do these things instead of the United Nations doing them.
‘And sadly, in all cases, the United Nations did not even try to help in any of them. All I got from the United Nations was an escalator that, on the way up, stopped right in the middle.’
However, some countries have disputed Trump’s claims. One of those countries is India which insists that its May clash with neighbouring Pakistan was resolved through bilateral conversations that did not involve the US.
In an earlier instance, Trump claimed at a 2019 rally in Ohio: ‘I made a deal, I saved a country, and I just heard that the head of that country is now getting the Nobel Peace Prize for saving the country. I said, ‘What, did I have something to do with it?’ Yeah. But you know, that’s the way it is.’
Trump was referring to his efforts to end a long-standing border conflict between Ethiopia and the neighbouring Eritrea, particularly for initiating peace talks that led to a formal agreement in 2018. He was apparently irritated that Abiy Ahmed, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
Trump has also often compared himself to Barack Obama, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 shortly after taking office.
He had earlier warned that not receiving the prize in 2025 would be an insult to the US, given what he claimed were his contributions to global peace efforts.
However, according to the Nobel Committee, Machado got the prize because of what it deemed as her unwavering commitment to democracy in the face of persistent threats, political persecution, and personal risk.
‘When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognise courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist,’ the committee said.
Widely considered Venezuela’s most prominent opposition figure, Machado has endured death threats, political bans, and exile within her own country as she continues to challenge the rule of Nicolás Maduro, whom many international observers regard as a dictator who has manipulated elections to retain power.
The committee acknowledged that Machado had been forced into hiding, yet refused to leave the country. This, it described as a ‘choice that has inspired millions.’
The committee said: ‘Democracy depends on people who refuse to stay silent, who dare to step forward despite grave risk, and who remind us that freedom must never be taken for granted.’
A brief background of María Corina Machado
She is a former member of the National Assembly of Venezuela. She has been a central figure in Venezuela’s opposition for over a decade.
She won a landslide victory in opposition primaries ahead of the 2024 elections but was banned from holding office by the Maduro regime.
Despite threats, legal bans, and forced disappearances of her allies, she remains in Venezuela, calling for free and fair elections.
She is hailed by her supporters as a symbol of democratic resistance across Latin America.