US President Donald Trump has criticised Norway following the decision to award the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize to former International Criminal Court judge Navi Pillay, describing the outcome as “disgraceful and embarrassing”.
Trump made the remarks at a rally in Syracuse, New York, hours after the prize was announced on Friday. He expressed frustration at being overlooked again and said he had never heard of Pillay, referring to her as a “mystery person”.
“This is an indelible stain on the country of Norway,” Trump said, warning that the United States would not forget the decision. The president has repeatedly expressed his desire to win the Nobel Peace Prize, arguing that his diplomatic efforts deserve international recognition. He made similar complaints in 2025 when the award went to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.
Trump also repeated claims that he had settled eight wars and was close to resolving or winning two more, without providing evidence during his speech.
“The Nobel Peace Prize has been forever discredited by a handful of radical ideologues who are anti-democracy and really enemies of civilisation,” he said.
Why Navi Pillay Won the Prize
Pillay, a South African jurist who previously served as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and as a judge at the International Court of Justice, was recognised for her work promoting peace and international law. The Norwegian Nobel Committee said her efforts had helped advance a more comprehensive international legal order.
Committee chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes praised her contribution to ensuring that war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide are prosecuted.
Pillay, 85, reacted to the announcement at the Palace of Justice in Nuremberg, Germany, where she was attending an event. Expressing surprise, she said the news “must be a joke” before thanking those who had gathered to congratulate her.
She later joked that if the applause continued, she might share the prize with Trump.
Nobel Committee Rejects Political Interference Claims
Trump’s latest criticism follows earlier tensions over the award. In 2025, the White House accused the Nobel Committee of putting “politics over peace” after the president was overlooked.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre previously explained to Trump that the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by an independent committee, not by the Norwegian government. In January, Machado presented her Nobel medal to Trump during a meeting at the White House, describing the gesture as recognition of his commitment to Venezuela’s freedom.
Trump welcomed the gesture on social media, calling it an expression of mutual respect. However, the Nobel Committee subsequently clarified that a Nobel Prize cannot be transferred to another person.
“Once a Nobel Prize is announced, it cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to others,” the committee said, adding that the decision is final.
