US President Donald Trump has criticised Norway for missing out on the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, citing the decision to award the accolade to South African judge Navi Pillay as “disgraceful and embarrassing” and a “indelible stain” on the Scandinavian country.
Trump made the comments at a rally in Syracuse, New York, on Friday, October 9, hours after the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced Pillay as this year’s winner. “The award should have gone to me or to the United States, which I represented as president,” he remarked.
“Congratulations anyway,” Trump remarked, referring to Pillay. “I never heard of this particular person.” He warned Norway that the choice would not be forgotten.
Trump again said he had helped end eight wars and stopped more hostilities from springing out, Reuters and the Associated Press reported. He said his diplomatic work earned him the prestigious honour, however his role in resolving some of the crises he referenced has been questioned.
Pillay, 85, was acknowledged for her work in advocating for international law and responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity. She is a former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and an experienced international jurist who has held various international judicial and human rights positions.
The Nobel Committee noted her efforts to “force powerful men and governments to account under international law. Her work included leading a United Nations panel that found Israel committed genocide in Gaza, a claim Israel denies.
The committee’s decision comes amid rising international tensions about the role of international judicial organisations. The Trump administration put sanctions on the International Criminal Court on the same day Pillay was announced as laureate, further raising tensions between Washington and organisations involved in pursuing suspected international crimes.
Trump has said several times that he would like to win a Nobel Peace Prize. Last year’s winner was Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who gave her medal to Trump during a visit to the White House. The Nobel Committee has previously said that a Nobel Peace Prize cannot be withdrawn, shared or given to someone else.
Trump criticised the Norwegian Nobel Committee, although it is independent of the Norwegian government. The members are appointed by Norway’s parliament, but the award is decided by the committee.
The institution’s aim is to reward persons who work toward a more comprehensive international legal order and a more peaceful world, the committee’s chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes said in comments carried by The Washington Post.
Pillay hailed the honour and dedicated it to war crimes survivors. She has also spoken of the need of safeguarding international justice at a time when the courts and organisations tasked with investigating significant abuses are under threat.
Trump’s new remarks follow his long-running annoyance at not being nominated for the honour, and underline the growing divide between his administration and international legal bodies.
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