The United States President, Donald Trump’s hopes of winning the Nobel Peace Prize were dashed this year, although the prizewinner dedicated the honor to him, in part, for supporting her cause.
The announcement did not sit well with the White House, which had expected applause for Trump’s efforts to normalize diplomatic relations between several nations, as the Norwegian committee passed over the president for the Peace Prize he had long coveted.
The award went to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who was recognized for her efforts to promote democratic values and push for a political transition in Venezuela.
Although Machado dedicated her award to the Republican president and the people of the United States while accepting the prize, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung on Friday accused the committee of prioritizing politics over peace.
“The Nobel Committee proved they care more about politics than peace,” Cheung wrote on social media. “Trump has the heart of a humanitarian, no one else can match his ability to drive change through sheer determination.”
Trump brokered a historic agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates to formalize ties between the countries during his first term in office.
Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan signed the accords, which Trump hoped to expand to include other nations.
The American president was also nominated for the Peace Prize for various agreements he struck to resolve crises and conflicts this year, but the submissions from the leaders of Cambodia, Pakistan and other nations came after the committee’s Jan. 31 deadline.
The White House did not comment on Machado’s recognition, but Trump on social media shared Machado’s post praising him.
Her opposition to President Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela aligns with the Trump administration’s own stance on Venezuela, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously praised her as “the personification of resilience, tenacity, and patriotism.”
Trump, who has long coveted the prestigious prize, has been outspoken about his desire for the honor during both of his presidential terms, particularly lately as he takes credit for ending conflicts around the world.
The Republican president had expressed doubts that the Nobel committee would ever grant him the award.
“They’ll have to do what they do. Whatever they do is fine. I know this: I didn’t do it for that. I did it because I saved a lot of lives,” Trump said Thursday.
