WASHINGTON — The White House sharply criticized the Nobel Committee on Friday for awarding its 2025 Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado instead of President Donald Trump, accusing the panel of putting “politics over peace, according to BBC News.”
Machado was recognized for her “tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela.” Trump, however, has long sought the honor, touting his role in negotiating ceasefires and claiming credit for ending global conflicts. Just days before the Nobel announcement, he unveiled a multi-stage ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
Despite the outcome, Trump called Machado to congratulate her, telling her she deserved the award, according to a senior official. Still, his aides expressed frustration. “President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives,” communications director Steven Cheung wrote on X, calling him “the peace president.”
Trump has openly lobbied for the prize since returning to the White House, frequently raising the issue in speeches, including at the UN General Assembly. His bid has been backed by leaders such as Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and even praised by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said Trump was working to resolve crises. Trump reposted Putin’s remarks, thanking him and declaring the Nobel “has lost credibility.”
Machado herself acknowledged Trump’s support in her own victory message, dedicating the award both to Venezuela’s suffering people and to Trump for his “decisive support.”
Still, Trump faced structural hurdles. Nominations for this year’s prize closed in January, just days after he took office, leaving little time for his administration’s initiatives to be considered. The Nobel Committee also weighs achievements against criteria emphasizing disarmament, human rights, and democracy; areas where Trump has faced criticism.
His second term has been defined by an “America First” agenda, dismantling foreign aid programs, expanding mass deportations, and deploying the National Guard to U.S. cities, policies that have drawn rebukes at home and abroad.
Four American presidents have won the Peace Prize, including Barack Obama in office. For Trump, the Nobel remains an elusive prize and a point of enduring contention.
