The New York Post explained that the reason Trump did not win was due to a timing issue. The committee took its decision last Monday, that is, before the official announcement of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, and this was not intentionally ignoring Trump.
Instead, the Norwegian Committee announced on Friday that the award would be awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, considering that the award comes “in recognition of her efforts to promote the democratic rights of the people of Venezuela and her struggle for a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.”
A source close to Trump said that his winning the award would have been a “surprise,” indicating that his chances may be stronger next year.
Although Trump has repeatedly lobbied the committee since his return to the White House, and claimed that he had ended 8 wars within 8 months, some of his critics pointed out that his controversial actions, such as the bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities last June, his talk about buying the island of Greenland, and his proposal to change the name of the Ministry of Defense to the Ministry of War, were among the reasons that deprived him of the award this year.
Last month, Trump stressed before the United Nations General Assembly, saying: “Everyone says I should get the Nobel Peace Prize,” while describing his denial of it as “a great insult to America.”
On the other hand, some of his allies believe that he deserves the award for his role in bringing peace to long-term conflicts, including the conflict between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, Cambodia and Thailand, India and Pakistan, Serbia and Kosovo, Egypt and Ethiopia, and Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Earlier, Bloomberg reported that Norway was concerned about the potential American reaction if the award was awarded to someone other than Trump, which might include imposing restrictions on Norwegian exports or on Norway’s $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund.
So far, there has been no comment from Trump after announcing the award to Venezuelan opposition figure Maria Corina Machado. (Sky News)
