The Nobel Peace Prize committee has officially addressed why President Donald Trump was not awarded the 2025 prize, despite his own repeated claims that he deserved it. This year, the award went to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who has been recognized for her relentless efforts to promote democracy and push for a peaceful transition away from dictatorship in Venezuela. The Norwegian Nobel Committee highlighted Machado’s courageous work despite repression and threats from the Maduro regime.
Trump has frequently touted himself as a peacemaker, claiming he ended multiple wars and made historic peace deals. However, the committee’s chairman, Jørgen Watne Frydnes, emphasized that their decisions are guided strictly by Alfred Nobel’s will, which states the prize should be awarded to those advancing fraternity among nations through democracy and peace. With growing authoritarianism worldwide, Machado’s work was seen as embodying the prize’s spirit more than Trump’s.
While Trump’s White House criticized the committee for “politics over peace,” the Nobel Committee reiterated its commitment to democratic values as fundamental to lasting peace. The prize ceremony is set for December 10 in Oslo, Norway, to honor Machado’s inspiring work despite Venezuela’s political turmoil.
