Trump has been nominated for the Nobel Prize more than 10 times, by figures such as Benjamin Netanyahu, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, a Ukrainian politician, and lawmakers from the US, Sweden and Norway. Dr. Zenou points out that many of these nominations are more diplomatic gestures than sincere appreciation.
By Financial Times
US President Donald Trump’s efforts to broker an end to the war in Ukraine have revived his campaign to win the Nobel Peace Prize. On August 18, during a meeting at the White House with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders, Trump declared: “I have ended six wars.” A day later, he corrected himself by saying that he had actually resolved seven conflicts. According to an analysis by Lara Keay for Sky News, Trump has never hidden his desire to win the prestigious award, while efforts to nominate him as a candidate began during his first term.
AN EARLY CAMPAIGN FOR THE NOBEL
In February 2019, Trump claimed that former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had nominated him after his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. He was often compared to his predecessor Barack Obama, who won the Nobel Prize only nine months into his presidency. Trump said that “Obama got it without even knowing why, and I probably will never get it.”
In 2020, he lamented that he had not won the prize instead of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, who was praised for his peace deal with Eritrea. Trump claimed that he had also played a crucial role in the process. In 2024, during a campaign rally, he said: “If my name was Obama, I would have won the Nobel in 10 seconds.” In February 2025, during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump repeated: “I deserve it, but they will never give it to me.”
SEVEN CONFLICTS THAT TRUMP CLAIMS TO HAVE “ENDED”
Following his declaration of “the end of seven wars,” the White House published the list of conflicts in which he claims to have intervened:
- Armenia and Azerbaijan – a peace agreement signed in Washington on August 8, 2025, described by analyst Dr. Theo Zenou as a “real achievement,” albeit influenced by Russia’s weakening in the Region.
- Thailand and Cambodia – after a violent clash in July 2025, Trump threatened trade tariffs and a truce was reached. Experts note that it was more economic management than a deep solution.
- Rwanda and Congo – In June 2025, after months of bitter fighting, the parties signed an agreement at the White House. But the lack of representation of the M23 rebel group leaves the conflict open.
- Israel and Iran – after the US bombing of three Iranian nuclear facilities, Trump declared the end of the “12-Day War.” However, experts emphasize that there was no peace agreement and the parties remain in de facto conflict.
- India and Pakistan – a ceasefire following tensions in Kashmir in May 2025, which Pakistan attributes to Trump, but India denies American interference.
- Egypt and Ethiopia – regarding the Nile Dam conflict, Trump claimed that the US had partially financed it, which Ethiopia denied. No concrete agreement has been reached.
- Serbia and Kosovo – Trump claims to have prevented a major clash through trade threats, also relying on the 2020 agreement on economic normalization.
CAN TRUMP WIN THE NOBEL?
Trump has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize more than 10 times, by figures such as Benjamin Netanyahu, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, a Ukrainian politician, and lawmakers from the U.S., Sweden, and Norway. Dr. Zenou emphasizes that many of these nominations are more diplomatic gestures than genuine recognition. He adds that the 2020 Abraham Accords, which brought recognition of Israel by several Arab states for the first time in almost 50 years, is Trump’s greatest diplomatic achievement, a landmark that remains significant today.
Experts agree that his efforts in Ukraine will be the decisive test of his Nobel ambition. Dr. Samir Puri distinguishes between “conflict management” and “conflict resolution,” saying that Trump has only managed to temporarily manage crises, often by economic means, but not to solve them at their root. Ultimately, Sky News’ analysis highlights that Trump’s claims are often exaggerated, but his interventions, although incomplete, have often avoided major escalations without directly involving the US military (except in the case of Iran).
