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What is the story about?
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. With 338 nominations, including notable figures like US President Donald Trump, who had repeatedly insisted he deserves the prize, claiming credit for stopping multiple wars.
Despite his persistent claim, Trump has not been awarded the Peace Prize, and experts are not at all surprised he didn't win. According to Asle Sveen, a historian of the award, Trump had “no chance to get the Peace Prize at all”.
Since the US president took office for the first time in 2017, he claimed to have ended seven wars.
Addressing a gathering of military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, he said, “Nobody’s ever done that. Will you get the Nobel Prize? Absolutely not. They’ll give it to some guy that didn’t do a damn thing.”
Trump's pursuit of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was unsuccessful, but he could be a contender for the 2026 prize.
Trump on Nobel chances
When asked by the media at the White House earlier this week if he thought he could win the prize, Trump responded, “I have no idea... Marco (Rubio) would tell you we settled seven wars. We are close to settling an eighth... I think we are close to settling the Russia situation... I don't think anybody in history has settled that many. But perhaps they'll find a reason not to give it to me.”
White House slams panel after Trump snub
On Friday, the White House criticised the Nobel Prize committee's decision to award the Venezuelan opposition leader instead of Donald Trump. In a post on X, White House spokesman Steven Cheung said, “President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will. The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace.”
Who were Trump’s other key competitors?
Among the 338 nominations, the committee received nominations of 244 individuals and 94 organisations. As per media reports, the names in contention were Sudan’s Emergency Response Rooms, Yulia Navalnaya, widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) and UNHCR (UN High Commissioner for Refugees), Imran Khan, former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia’s Prime Minister and many others.
Who is Nobel Peace laureate Maria Corina Machado?
Born in Caracas, Venezuela, on October 7, 1967, Maria Corina Machado, 58, is an industrial engineer by training. Her father was a prominent businessman in the steel industry in Venezuela.
She achieved a landslide victory in the opposition's primary election in 2023, and her rallies drew enormous crowds, but a ban on holding public office barred her from competing for president against Nicolas Maduro in the 2024 election, and she went into hiding.
According to a report in Al Jazeera, she came out of hiding for a brief appearance at a protest before Maduro's inauguration in January. Machado was momentarily arrested, then released. She supports liberal economic changes, particularly the privatisation of state-owned firms like PDVSA, Venezuela's oil company.
Despite his persistent claim, Trump has not been awarded the Peace Prize, and experts are not at all surprised he didn't win. According to Asle Sveen, a historian of the award, Trump had “no chance to get the Peace Prize at all”.
Since the US president took office for the first time in 2017, he claimed to have ended seven wars.
Addressing a gathering of military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, he said, “Nobody’s ever done that. Will you get the Nobel Prize? Absolutely not. They’ll give it to some guy that didn’t do a damn thing.”
Trump's pursuit of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was unsuccessful, but he could be a contender for the 2026 prize.
Trump on Nobel chances
When asked by the media at the White House earlier this week if he thought he could win the prize, Trump responded, “I have no idea... Marco (Rubio) would tell you we settled seven wars. We are close to settling an eighth... I think we are close to settling the Russia situation... I don't think anybody in history has settled that many. But perhaps they'll find a reason not to give it to me.”
White House slams panel after Trump snub
On Friday, the White House criticised the Nobel Prize committee's decision to award the Venezuelan opposition leader instead of Donald Trump. In a post on X, White House spokesman Steven Cheung said, “President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will. The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace.”
President
Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives.
He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will.
The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace. https://t.co/dwCEWjE0GE
— Steven Cheung (@StevenCheung47) October 10, 2025
Who were Trump’s other key competitors?
Among the 338 nominations, the committee received nominations of 244 individuals and 94 organisations. As per media reports, the names in contention were Sudan’s Emergency Response Rooms, Yulia Navalnaya, widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) and UNHCR (UN High Commissioner for Refugees), Imran Khan, former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia’s Prime Minister and many others.
Who is Nobel Peace laureate Maria Corina Machado?
Born in Caracas, Venezuela, on October 7, 1967, Maria Corina Machado, 58, is an industrial engineer by training. Her father was a prominent businessman in the steel industry in Venezuela.
She achieved a landslide victory in the opposition's primary election in 2023, and her rallies drew enormous crowds, but a ban on holding public office barred her from competing for president against Nicolas Maduro in the 2024 election, and she went into hiding.
According to a report in Al Jazeera, she came out of hiding for a brief appearance at a protest before Maduro's inauguration in January. Machado was momentarily arrested, then released. She supports liberal economic changes, particularly the privatisation of state-owned firms like PDVSA, Venezuela's oil company.
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