Trump says he deserves Nobel Peace Prize, claims tariffs stopped many wars
In short
Two days before the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize is announced, US President Donald Trump said at the White House on Oct. 7 that he deserves the award and that it would be "a big discredit" to the committee if he did not get it. He said he had settled eight wars, saved millions of lives and used tariff threats to stop many wars, and that blocking Iran from nuclear weapons may have prevented "the complete destruction of the world."
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US President Donald Trump said on Oct. 7 at the White House that he deserves this year's Nobel Peace Prize, two days before the Norwegian Nobel Committee announces the winner, Yonhap and other Korean outlets reported. "I don't know what they're going to do," he said, adding that the committee has a reputation of not giving the prize to people like him. Whether or not he wins, he said, he has done far more, and not awarding it to him would be a big discredit to the committee. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
Trump said he had settled eight wars, saved millions of lives and rescued hostages, calling this not boasting but stating facts. He claimed that by preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons he may have prevented the complete destruction of the world. CBS NoCut News noted that this referred to the war with Iran he launched in February, and Hankook Ilbo said the war has not ended. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 9 ]
He also presented his trade policy as a peace tool, saying threats of tariffs and other measures against certain countries had prevented many wars. Yonhap and Maeil Business noted that he has long said a threat of high tariffs on India and Pakistan, 250% according to Yonhap, produced a ceasefire after their armed clash in May last year. [ 2 , 5 , 7 ]
Trump again mocked former President Barack Obama, who won the prize in 2009, saying Obama "did nothing" and still does not know why he got it. He cited last year's laureate, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who gave him her medal and said no one deserved it more than he did. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 9 ]
Outside views of his chances are cool, Hankook Ilbo reported, citing the acting head of the Peace Research Institute Oslo as saying the committee will carefully choose a laureate who can withstand pressure from Trump. Hankook Ilbo said 287 candidates were nominated and named Save the Children, Save Ukraine founder Mykola Kuleba and Sudan's Emergency Response Rooms among the favourites. Kyunghyang, citing Reuters, named Pope Leo XIV and the International Criminal Court among those mentioned, and reported that leaders of Cambodia, Israel and Pakistan have said they nominated Trump, which Reuters said cannot be confirmed. [ 4 , 9 ]
Why it matters
Korean outlets, led by Yonhap, report the remarks as a renewed public appeal to the Norwegian Nobel Committee shortly before its decision. Hankook Ilbo notes that outside assessments of his chances are cool, so the announcement on Oct. 9 will be read against these comments.
Key facts
- Trump said at the White House on Oct. 7 (US time) that he does not know how the Nobel committee will decide and that it has a reputation of not giving the prize to people like him. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
- He said it would be a big discredit to the committee if it did not award him the prize. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 9 ]
- Trump said he had settled eight wars, saved millions of lives and rescued hostages. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 9 ]
- He said that by keeping Iran from getting nuclear weapons he may have prevented the complete destruction of the world. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 9 ]
- He said threats of tariffs and other measures against certain countries had prevented many wars. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 ]
- Trump said former President Barack Obama "did nothing" but received the prize. [ 2 , 4 , 5 ]
- He cited last year's laureate, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who gave him her Nobel medal. [ 2 , 5 , 9 ]
- The Norwegian Nobel Committee is due to announce this year's Peace Prize on Oct. 9; 287 candidates were nominated, Hankook Ilbo reported. [ 4 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Trump said the Nobel committee has a reputation of not giving the prize to people like him, and that not awarding it to him would be a big discredit to it. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 9 ]
- Trump said he had settled eight wars and saved millions of lives. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 9 ]
- Trump said tariff threats against certain countries had prevented many wars. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 9 ]
- Trump said that by keeping nuclear weapons from Iran he may have prevented the complete destruction of the world. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 7 , 9 ]
- Trump said Obama did nothing but received the prize. [ 2 , 4 , 5 ]
Still unclear
- Whether leaders of Cambodia, Israel and Pakistan nominated Trump for the prize, as they have said. Kyunghyang, citing Reuters, says there is no way to confirm the nominations.
- Whether Trump will receive the prize. The committee announces its decision on Oct. 9; Hankook Ilbo says outside assessments of his chances are cool.
- Trump's claim that tariff pressure, including a threatened 250% tariff, brought about the India-Pakistan ceasefire in May last year. This is Trump's own account, reported by Yonhap and Maeil Business without independent verification.