The White House has criticised the Norwegian Nobel Committee after Donald Trump was overlooked for the Nobel Peace Prize, which was awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado. Steven Cheung, the White House director of communications, accused the committee of prioritising politics over peace, insisting Trump has 'the heart of a humanitarian'.
Trump’s special envoy, Richard Grenell, dismissed the prize as irrelevant, tweeting 'The Nobel Prize died years ago'. Lara Trump, the president’s daughter-in-law, told Fox News that Trump 'deserves it more than anyone alive' and blamed 'Trump Derangement Syndrome' for the snub.
Trump had actively campaigned for the prize, pushing through a Gaza ceasefire deal before the announcement. He also lobbied senior Norwegian officials and received backing from political allies. The Norwegian committee’s statement, which praised defenders of freedom against authoritarianism, was seen by critics as a veiled criticism of Trump’s domestic policies.
Christopher Sabatini of Chatham House suggested Trump would be 'peeved' by the decision, noting he had 'lobbied shamelessly' and mobilised significant resources off Venezuela. Russian President Vladimir Putin defended Trump, saying he was doing much to resolve complex crises, while criticising the committee for past awards to undeserving recipients.
