On October 10, the Nobel Committee announced that Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado had been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize — a decision that immediately triggered outrage among Trump’s base. The announcement came just days after Trump helped broker a ceasefire and preliminary peace deal between Israel and Hamas, fueling speculation that he might finally secure the long-coveted award.
MAGA figures accused the Norwegian Nobel Committee of bias, claiming Trump had been “robbed.” Republican Senator John Barrasso posted on X, “The Nobel Committee gave Obama a Peace Prize for doing nothing. They wouldn’t recognize peace if it stood right in front of them.”
Former Fox News host Megyn Kelly said the committee had “further tarnished its once-great reputation,” while Katie Miller, wife of White House aide Stephen Miller, called the move proof that “politics comes before peace.” Right-wing activist Laura Loomer declared that “President Trump is the only one who truly deserves this award,” and the MAGA Voice account mocked the choice of Machado, saying “nobody knows who she is.”
The Nobel Committee said it honored Machado for her “tireless efforts to promote democratic rights for the people of Venezuela.” In her acceptance remarks, Machado expressed gratitude and even dedicated the prize to both the Venezuelan people and President Trump, praising his commitment to freedom and democracy. Trump later described her gesture as “very kind,” joking, “I’m not saying she should give it to me — though I think she wanted to.”
Still, MAGA supporters remained outraged. Republican Representative Richard Hudson posted an AI-generated image of himself and Trump holding the Nobel Peace Prize, calling it “shameful” that Trump was overlooked after “achieving peace in the Middle East.”
White House communications director Steven Cheung accused the Nobel Committee of putting “politics over peace,” asserting that “President Trump will continue to broker peace deals, end wars, and save lives — no one else could do what he has done.”
Republican Buddy Carter announced plans to introduce a symbolic congressional resolution to “honor President Trump with the Nobel Peace Prize,” despite Congress having no authority over the award. He predicted that Trump would be a “strong contender next year,” calling him “the obvious winner who was unfairly denied.”
Senator Roger Marshall voiced similar hopes: “The Nobel legacy will be permanently damaged if it isn’t awarded to President Trump by 2026.” Jason Miller, a senior Trump campaign adviser, added that “calls for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for President Trump will only grow louder.”
However, foreign policy analysts noted that Trump’s candidacy could falter if the Gaza peace deal collapses or violence resumes. “The Nobel Committee will want to see if Trump’s peace plan proves lasting or merely temporary,” said Nina Graeger, director of the Oslo Institute for Peace Studies.
Experts also pointed out that Trump’s “America First” approach and history of threatening to annex Canada, purchase Greenland, or take control of the Panama Canal could undermine his eligibility. Alfred Nobel’s will stipulates that the prize should go to those who “promote fraternity between nations.”
Former Norwegian ambassador to the U.S. Kåre Aas said Trump could still become a leading contender if he succeeds in ending the wars in Ukraine or Gaza, but cautioned, “Even if peace is achieved, that doesn’t guarantee he’ll win the Nobel Peace Prize.”