US President Donald Trump has said he believes he deserves the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, while admitting that he is uncertain whether the Norwegian Nobel Committee will select him.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Wednesday, Trump said the Nobel announcement was approaching but suggested that the committee might be reluctant to honour someone like him. The 2026 Nobel Peace Prize is scheduled to be announced on October 9.
Trump has repeatedly argued that his diplomatic efforts since returning to the White House justify recognition. He has claimed involvement in resolving or easing eight international conflicts and has pointed to statements from leaders in Cambodia, Israel and Pakistan who have reportedly said they nominated him. However, such nominations cannot be independently verified because the Nobel system keeps nomination details confidential for 50 years.
The president also referred to an unusual connection to last year’s Nobel Peace Prize. Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who won the 2025 award, gave her Nobel medal to Trump in January 2026 as she sought US support for Venezuela’s democratic opposition. Trump described the gesture as an honour, while the Nobel Committee has made clear that the prize itself is not transferable.
Trump’s claims have nevertheless faced criticism. Although he says he has helped settle multiple conflicts, fighting has resumed in some areas, including parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo and along the Cambodia-Thailand border. His administration has also been unable to broker an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine, despite his earlier promise to end the conflict quickly.
His position is also complicated by the continuing conflict involving Iran. Analysts have questioned whether Trump’s current foreign-policy record is compatible with the Nobel Peace Prize, while experts have described his chances of winning this year’s award as relatively low.
Other names and organisations have emerged as potential contenders for the 2026 prize, including Pope Leo, the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice. The Norwegian Nobel Committee will make the final decision, with the winner to be announced on Friday, October 9.
Trump’s latest comments underline his continued public campaign for the prestigious award, even as he acknowledges that the final decision remains beyond his control.