President Donald Trump told Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store that he no longer feels obligated to “think purely of peace” after not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, according to a message confirmed by both a source close to the matter and Store.
In the message, Trump wrote, “Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace.”
Trump has previously expressed dissatisfaction over not receiving the annual award. Analysts have questioned his claim of stopping eight wars, including conflicts such as those between India and Pakistan and ongoing violence in Gaza and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Store responded in writing to clarify that the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by an independent committee, not by the Norwegian government. “I have clearly explained, including to President Trump, what is well known: the prize is awarded by an independent Nobel Committee,” he said.
The statement follows Trump’s meeting with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who gave him her Nobel Peace Prize medal during a recent visit to the White House. Trump shared a photo of the exchange online, stating, “María presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done.”
Machado, who won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her role leading Venezuela’s opposition, said she offered the medal to acknowledge Trump’s support for her country’s freedom. Venezuelan authorities have barred her from running for office in the 2024 election, citing allegations including support for sanctions and links to a weapons plot.
The Norwegian Nobel Institute reiterated that Nobel Peace Prizes cannot be transferred or shared, according to the foundation’s rules and Alfred Nobel’s will.
In December, Trump received the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize from FIFA President Gianni Infantino at a ceremony that drew criticism. Human rights group FairSquare filed a complaint with FIFA’s ethics committee, citing concerns over political neutrality.
