'I should win it': Trump renews Nobel Peace Prize claim ahead of 2026 announcement

US President Donald Trump, said on ​Wednesday (Oct 7) that he should win the Nobel Peace Prize but acknowledged ‌doubt about his chances. Since his ​return to the White House last year, Trump has repeatedly ⁠said he deserves what may be the world's most prestigious award. Last year, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado won the Nobel Prize but she gave Trump the medal as she sought US support for her efforts ​in Venezuela. He did not win last year despite being nominated by leaders of Cambodia, Israel and Pakistan.

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"It is about ​that time," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "But I was very honored ​to receive it indirectly last time by the recipient, who said nobody in history deserves it more than President Trump." "I don't know what their decision is going to be," Trump said of the 2026 award, which the Norwegian Nobel Committee will announce on Friday. "They have a ​reputation for maybe not giving it to people like me."

While Trump and his obsession with the Nobel Peace Prize is a story that's not new, before him, four US presidents also received it. Four US presidents - Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama, received the prestigious prize. One Vice President Al Gore also received the prize.

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Last year, when the Nobel Peace Prize was announced, Steven Sheung, the White House Director of Communications said, “The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace.” He also claimed that Trump’s allies, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were all rooting for him to win as the US president had stopped ‘eight wars’. Sheung mentioned in the statement, “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 Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace.”

The nominations for Nobel Prize is not an endorsement by the ​award body. Additionally, there is no way to confirm if someone has been nominated. According to the statutes of the Nobel Foundation, all nomination records, including names of nominees, nominators, and related evaluation reports—are strictly sealed for 50 years to ensure impartiality, independence, and to avoid political pressure. Harpviken declined to say on Thursday whether Trump had been nominated.