White House reacts to Trump's Nobel Peace Prize snub
What's the story
The White House has criticized the Nobel Committee for awarding the 2025 Peace Prize to Venezuela's opposition leader Maria Corina Machado. The committee's decision comes as a blow to United States President Donald Trump, who had been vying for the honor. The White House accused the committee of prioritizing politics over peace with their choice.
White House
What White House said
Responding to the Nobel Prize's post announcing Machado as the winner, Steven Cheung, White House spokesperson, wrote, "President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives." "He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will." With the win, the Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace, he added.
Presidential feud
Trump takes dig at Obama
Just before the announcement, Trump said he "stopped eight wars," which he said has "never happened before." A day before, he announced that Israel and Hamas had agreed on the first phase of a peace framework that aims at a ceasefire in Gaza. The peace plan was brokered by the US, Israel, Egypt, and Qatar. He had also taken the opportunity to criticize his predecessor Barack Obama, who he claimed won the prize for "doing nothing" and "destroying our country."
Trump
Why Trump was overlooked
That being said, Trump said he didn't do it for the prize. "I did it because I saved a lot of lives," he said. Speaking to reporters after the announcement, Nobel Committee chair Jorgen Watne Frydnes explained why Trump was overlooked. "This committee sits in a room with the portraits of all laureates, and that room is filled with both courage and integrity. So, we base only our decision on the work and will of Alfred Nobel."
Award details
White House slams Nobel Committee
Machado, popularly known as Venezuela's Iron Lady, won the prize for her "tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela." Machado has been in hiding for more than 14 months since Venezuela's presidential election, when the country's autocratic leader, Nicolás Maduro, was declared the winner for a third term. Despite being underground, she has continued to advocate for free elections, the rule of law, and accountability in Caracas, as the government has restricted political rights.