The White House has sharply criticized the Norwegian Nobel Committee after the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado, while United States President Donald Trump was overlooked for the prestigious global honor.
In a fiery statement released on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Steven Cheung, the White House Director of Communications, accused the Nobel Committee of prioritizing politics over genuine efforts for world peace.
“The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace,” Cheung stated. “President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will.”
The criticism followed the Nobel Committee’s announcement on Friday, recognizing Machado’s “resilient fight for democracy and human rights in Venezuela.” The decision, however, sparked a backlash among Trump’s supporters, who believe the U.S. President’s diplomatic interventions have contributed significantly to global stability.
Since assuming office for a second term in January 2025, Trump has repeatedly maintained that he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize, claiming credit for resolving what he described as “multiple international conflicts.” However, many foreign policy analysts and Nobel observers have dismissed such assertions as greatly exaggerated.
Okay News reports that President Trump had intensified his campaign for recognition in recent months, citing his role in mediating a temporary ceasefire in the Gaza conflict earlier this week. According to Trump, that was the eighth conflict he had successfully de-escalated since returning to the Oval Office.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday, just hours before the Nobel announcement, Trump reiterated his conviction that his peace initiatives were unmatched, while also appearing indifferent to the final outcome.
“Whatever they do is fine. I know this: I didn’t do it for that, I did it because I’ve saved a lot of lives,” he said confidently.
Experts in Oslo, however, had made it clear ahead of the announcement that Trump had no realistic chance of being chosen. They emphasized that his “America First” foreign policy — a doctrine centered on prioritizing U.S. interests — runs contrary to the founding principles of the Nobel Peace Prize, established by Alfred Nobel’s 1895 will to honor those who foster peace and international cooperation.
Despite the snub, Trump’s aides have vowed that the administration will continue pursuing peace-oriented diplomacy worldwide. Cheung further hinted that the President “does not need validation from committees” to continue his work in global peace negotiations.
Observers believe this latest episode may reignite debates over the Nobel Committee’s impartiality, particularly among right-wing political circles in the United States, where Trump maintains strong grassroots support.
As the Nobel controversy unfolds, analysts suggest that the episode has again placed Trump’s foreign policy agenda and America’s diplomatic reputation under global scrutiny. While some hail him as a pragmatic dealmaker, critics argue that his self-promotion often overshadows his actual policy achievements.
