The White House has accused the Nobel Committee of “putting politics above peace” after this year’s Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Venezuelan pro-democracy leader María Corina Machado, instead of former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Last Friday, the Nobel Committee announced that Machado had won the prize for her “relentless efforts to secure democratic rights for the people of Venezuela.” Trump has long emphasized his “extraordinary contributions” to global peace, claiming to have played key mediating roles in multiple international conflicts, and has repeatedly expressed his desire to be recognized with the Peace Prize.
According to U.S. media reports, Trump called Machado after learning of the result to congratulate her, saying she “truly deserves it.” However, White House Communications Director Zhang Zhenxi soon criticized the Nobel Committee, claiming its decision was “influenced by political bias” and insisting that Trump was “genuinely committed to achieving peace.” Trump’s supporters—including several foreign leaders such as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin—also voiced support for him on social media.
Under Nobel Prize regulations, nominations close on January 31 each year, meaning Trump had only been in office for a few days when this year’s nomination period ended—too soon for any diplomatic achievements to be assessed. While he played a limited role in brokering a temporary ceasefire in Gaza, the conflict remains in its early stages, and his mediation efforts in the Russia–Ukraine war have shown little progress.
According to the Nobel Committee’s mandate, the Peace Prize honors those who contribute to arms control, disarmament, democracy, human rights, and peacebuilding. However, Trump’s “America First” policies—such as cutting foreign aid, mass deportations, and deploying the National Guard for domestic unrest—have drawn criticism from human rights groups and the international community.