In a decision that’s already sparking backlash from the White House, the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, overlooking U.S. President Donald Trump despite his high-profile diplomatic wins this year.
Trump, who has openly lobbied for the prize since his January inauguration, claimed credit for brokering ceasefires in seven global hotspots, including a fragile Gaza deal between Israel and Hamas announced just days ago.
Nominations poured in from allies like Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. lawmakers, citing efforts from the Abraham Accords to de-escalations in India-Pakistan and Israel-Iran tensions.
“I don’t think anybody in history settled that many, but perhaps they’ll find a reason not to give it to me,” Trump said of the prize.
Yet experts note the committee’s deliberations wrapped up before the Gaza breakthrough, prioritizing “sustained, multilateral commitments” over recent headlines.
