Trump looms over 2026 Nobel Peace Prize race

Yesterday 16:51

By: Azzat Manal

Trump looms over 2026 Nobel Peace Prize race

The Nobel Peace Prize committee is preparing to announce this year’s laureate next week under heightened attention, with U.S. President Donald Trump’s campaign for the prestigious award continuing to cast a shadow over the selection process.

Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to receive the Nobel Peace Prize and was nominated for the 2026 award by several political figures and governments, including Pakistan, Cambodia and Israel. However, experts cited by Reuters said his prospects of receiving the prize remain low.

The issue has gained additional prominence following last year’s award to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. After receiving the prize, Machado gave her Nobel medal to Trump, saying she believed he deserved recognition for his role in Venezuela. The unusual episode added to the attention surrounding the relationship between Trump and the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

The five-member Norwegian Nobel Committee has acknowledged that it regularly faces lobbying and attempts to influence its work. Kristian Berg Harpviken, secretary of the committee, told AFP that pressure from outside actors is not new, although the events surrounding last year’s award have attracted particular attention.

Experts at the Peace Research Institute Oslo have suggested that the committee may take particular care this year to choose a laureate whose selection does not become dominated by political controversy. Among the names and organizations discussed publicly are humanitarian groups, international legal institutions and figures involved in conflicts and human rights issues. The full list of nominees remains confidential under Nobel rules.

The 2026 Peace Prize is scheduled to be announced in Oslo on October 9. The Norwegian Nobel Committee received 287 valid nominations for this year's prize, consisting of 208 individuals and 79 organizations.

The Nobel process is designed to remain independent from governments and political campaigns. Nomination does not mean that a candidate has been shortlisted, and the identities of nominees are normally kept secret for 50 years. Publicly announced nominations therefore do not provide a reliable indication of the committee's final decision.

The wider Nobel season will begin with the medicine prize on October 5, followed by physics on October 6 and chemistry on October 7. The literature prize is scheduled for October 8, before the peace prize is announced in Oslo on October 9.

The Nobel announcements come at a time of heightened international tensions, making the peace award particularly closely watched. The committee's decision will ultimately reflect its own assessment of contributions to peace, while the public debate surrounding possible candidates is likely to continue until the winner is announced.