Trump and the Nobel Peace Prize: Too Late Despite the Gaza Accord? Politics and Prizes in a World of Ambitions and Crises

Rapid developments marked the international stage as the Norwegian Nobel Committee met on Monday to finalize its decision for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. This came amid intense pressure from US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly expressed his ambition to win the prize after his role in brokering a ceasefire agreement in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. The Thursday agreement, reached mere hours before the committee closed its files, included the release of hostages and detainees, representing a pivotal step toward ending a two-year war in the devastated Palestinian enclave.

The Norwegian committee of five members always prepares its decision meticulously in final meetings before the official announcement. The Nobel Foundation did not specify the timing of the final decision, with its spokesperson reaffirming that "the committee never reveals when it makes the decision." Every year, this uncertainty fuels numerous speculations, some suggesting the committee might even refrain from awarding the prize amidst the prevailing geopolitical tensions.

Trump maintains that his achievements in the White House make him unquestionably deserving of the prize, pointing to his efforts in resolving global conflicts. He believes that denying him the award would be an "insult" to the United States, while all eyes wait for the announcement on Friday, October 10, 2025, at 11 a.m. Oslo time (9 a.m. GMT).

The Nobel Committee has ruled out any further meetings before the scheduled announcement, assuring that there will indeed be a laureate this year, despite rumors of the possibility of withholding the prize amidst current crises. This year’s nominees number 338 individuals and organizations, following last year’s win by "Nihon Hidankyo," the group of survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in recognition of their fight against nuclear weapons.

The questions remain: Was the Gaza agreement announced too late to make Trump a Nobel Peace Prize winner? And could international politics redirect the world’s most prestigious prize?