US President Donald Trump has said he believes he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, despite continuing conflict involving Iran and the failure to bring lasting peace to Ukraine. At the same time, Trump admitted that he was uncertain whether he would actually receive the prestigious award, suggesting that people like him may not be favoured by the committee responsible for selecting the winner.
Trump made the remarks while speaking to reporters in the Oval Office at the White House on Wednesday. The Norwegian Nobel Committee is due to announce the winner of the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday.
Asked about the prospects of receiving the award, Trump said he did not know what decision the committee would make. He suggested that there was a perception that the committee did not want to honour people of his character or political style.
Since returning to the White House for a second term, Trump has repeatedly argued that his efforts to resolve international conflicts make him deserving of the peace prize. He has presented his foreign policy initiatives as evidence that he has played a significant role in attempting to end wars and reduce tensions between rival sides.
Trump has also referred to a gesture by last year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner as indirect recognition of his contribution. He said he felt honoured to have received the award in an indirect sense after the recipient had expressed the view that no one in history was more deserving of the prize than President Trump.
The reference was to Maria Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader who has sought US backing for the country’s anti-government movement. In January, Machado presented Trump with the medal she had received after being awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.
Trump cites role in ending conflicts
Since taking office in January last year, Trump has claimed that he helped bring an end to eight wars and conflicts. He has repeatedly cited those efforts when arguing that he should receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
Leaders from Cambodia, Israel and Pakistan have also called for Trump to be nominated for the award. However, there is no independent way to verify the claims surrounding such nominations, and being nominated does not guarantee that a candidate will be seriously considered by the Nobel Committee.
Trump’s claims have also faced disagreement from parties involved in several of the conflicts he says he helped resolve. In some cases, disputes have continued despite diplomatic efforts, while fresh fighting has emerged in places including the Democratic Republic of the Congo and along the Cambodia-Thailand border.
The situation has added complexity to Trump’s argument that his foreign policy record demonstrates a sustained contribution to peace.
Ukraine remains a major test
Ukraine remains one of the clearest tests of Trump’s pledge to end international conflicts. On his first day back in the White House for his second term, he promised to bring the war between Russia and Ukraine to an end. Yet a lasting peace agreement has not materialised, leaving the conflict as one of the most prominent unresolved challenges of his presidency.
The war involving Iran has also placed Trump’s foreign policy under intense scrutiny. The joint US and Israeli attacks on Iran have contributed to a prolonged regional conflict and disrupted global energy supplies. The resulting pressure on energy markets has raised concerns about higher fuel costs and their impact on households and economies around the world.
The political significance of the issue is also considerable for Trump, with the US midterm elections scheduled for November. Rising energy costs could become a politically sensitive issue if they continue to affect consumers.
Other names in contention
Trump is not the only prominent figure or institution being discussed ahead of Friday’s announcement. Pope Leo, the International Criminal Court and the United Nations special envoy for the Palestinian territories are among those identified as leading potential contenders for this year’s prize.
The Nobel Peace Prize is ultimately decided by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which does not disclose the full details of its deliberations. Until the official announcement, speculation about the eventual recipient remains unconfirmed.
For Trump, however, the issue has become a recurring feature of his public comments on foreign policy. His latest remarks combine confidence in his own record with uncertainty over whether the Nobel Committee will recognise it.
Whether that confidence is rewarded will be known when the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize is announced on Friday.
