White House blasts Nobel Committee for not awarding Peace Prize to Trump

Washington, October 11, 2025 — The White House has sharply criticized the Norwegian Nobel Committee for awarding the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado instead of US President Donald Trump. The Biden administration’s spokesperson and senior officials accused the committee of placing politics above genuine peace efforts in their selection.

On Friday, the Nobel Committee announced that María Corina Machado received the prestigious Peace Prize “for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.” Machado, 58, is hailed by the committee as one of Latin America’s most courageous civilians and a unifying figure for the fragmented Venezuelan opposition movement. Despite significant threats to her life, she has chosen to remain in Venezuela to inspire millions in their quest for freedom from the authoritarian regime of President Nicolás Maduro .

The White House immediately reacted with disappointment. Communications Director Steven Cheung proclaimed on social media that the Committee demonstrated a clear preference for politics over peace. He portrayed President Trump as a humanitarian with the unique ability to broker peace deals and save lives, citing his administration’s recent efforts to bring about a multi-phase ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza .

President Trump, who publicly lobbied for the prize and has referred repeatedly to his peacebuilding achievements at the United Nations and on social media, spoke warmly of Machado’s selection. Trump revealed that Machado personally called him to say she accepted the award in his honor, which he described as a gracious gesture. However, he refrained from directly denouncing the Nobel Committee’s choice, instead emphasizing his belief that he deserved recognition for ending several global conflicts, including the recent Gaza ceasefire .

The ceasefire deal, announced days before the Nobel Prize announcement, represents a significant development in the enduring Middle East conflict. President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu jointly unveiled a 20-point peace plan aimed at halting hostilities, releasing hostages, and paving the way towards longer-term peace and reconstruction in Gaza. The plan was negotiated with input from Arab and Muslim nations and has begun its initial phase with Israeli forces withdrawing to agreed lines .

Despite these diplomatic strides, Trump’s Nobel ambitions faced timing challenges. The official nomination deadline for the 2025 prize was January 31, only days after Trump took office for his second term, limiting consideration of his recent accomplishments. His supporters, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and several Republican legislators, have since submitted nominations but only after the cutoff date. Furthermore, Trump’s record remains controversial, with critics pointing to his harsh immigration policies and domestic use of the military, which have sparked protests and legal challenges .

The Nobel Committee, which selects laureates based on “arms control and disarmament, peace negotiation, democracy, and human rights,” has awarded the Peace Prize to four US presidents before: Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter, and Barack Obama. Out of these, only Obama received the prize during his time in office. The Committee emphasized that their decision honors Machado’s courage and dedication amid Venezuela’s ongoing humanitarian crisis, rather than geopolitical considerations .

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Maria Corina Machado herself expressed deep gratitude to the global community and underscored President Trump’s decisive support for her cause, highlighting the interconnectedness of struggles for democracy and peace across the Americas. Her win shines a spotlight on Venezuela’s plight and reaffirms the Nobel Committee’s commitment to recognizing those who pursue peaceful democratic change under difficult conditions .

As the conflict in Ukraine continues unabated and the broader Middle East peace process remains fragile, the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize this year underscores the complexity of modern peace efforts—balancing diplomatic accomplishments with enduring struggles for human rights and democratic governance worldwide.