On Friday, the White House criticized the Nobel Committee for what it called a political decision to deny President Donald Trump the Nobel Peace Prize, which instead went to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.
White House Slams Nobel Committee Over Decision
Following the announcement, White House communications director Steven Cheung took to X, formerly Twitter, and said the committee had “placed politics over peace.”
“The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace,” Cheung said in a statement. “President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives.”
“There will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will.”
Machado Responds, Praises Trump
Trump, who has long campaigned for the award, congratulated Machado on her win, telling her she deserved the award, noted CBS, citing a White House official.
The Venezuelan activist was honored for her “tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela.”
After receiving the award, Machado also thanked Trump.
Trump’s Peace Efforts And Nobel Ambitions
Nominations for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize closed on Jan. 31 — just days after Trump took office for his second term — making his eligibility uncertain.
Four U.S. presidents have received the Nobel Peace Prize: Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama, the latter being the only one to win while still in office.
Several world leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin, had previously publicly expressed that Trump deserved the Nobel Peace Prize for his diplomatic efforts.
Trump’s supporters had expected the president to be recognized for his U.S.-brokered Israel-Hamas peace deal this week.
The agreement includes the release of all hostages held in Gaza and a withdrawal of Israeli troops to a designated line.
“BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS,” Trump posted on Truth Social following the announcement, while the White House hailed him as “The Peace President.”
Read next:
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
