(Image source from: x.com/WhiteHouse)

It's a troubling day for Donald Trump. After many months of the US President asserting that he was the top choice for the Nobel Peace Prize, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has declared a "brave woman" as the winner of this year's award. Maria Corina Machado received the Nobel for her dedicated efforts in supporting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her fight to achieve a fair and peaceful shift from dictatorship to democracy, according to the Committee. There was no mention of Trump. And that makes sense. Trump has yet to respond to being overlooked by the Nobel committee, but it is likely he will respond with anger, especially after consistently stating that he helped prevent seven wars globally to be seen as a peacemaker. The White House supported his claims and carried out an ongoing campaign that praised Trump continuously. Just hours before, it posted a picture of Trump in a blue suit and a yellow tie, strolling through the White House halls. The caption read, 'The Peace President'.

For months, Trump claimed that his Oval Office was the hub of all peace deals worldwide. Even before he officially took office in January, he started advocating for talks to resolve the Russia-Ukraine war and the Israel-Hamas conflict. However, peace in these conflicts still seems out of reach. What he said he accomplished in his early months in office was stopping seven wars. These included conflicts between India and Pakistan, Cambodia and Thailand, Congo and Rwanda, Israel and Iran, Serbia and Kosovo, Egypt and Ethiopia, and Armenia and Azerbaijan. His repeated assertion that he halted the India-Pakistan war in May was challenged by India's response, but he showed no signs of backing down. Time and again, he found moments to present himself as the 'Modern Day Buddha'.

India dismissed his claims, stating that the fighting ceased after Pakistani leaders begged their Indian counterparts for a ceasefire due to their inability to handle further losses. Trump is often easily swayed by compliments, and many around him celebrated his nomination for the prize. Among them was financially struggling Pakistan. In their attempt to win Trump's favor, especially after significant defeats in their conflict with India, they supported the US President for the Nobel Prize. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a close ally of Trump who regularly received US assistance for its actions in Gaza, stated that the President was worthy of the award. Trump was also nominated during his initial term but did not win.

Inside, Trump sensed he wouldn’t come out on top. Even long-time Nobel experts believed that the US President had almost no possibility of receiving the award. Trump had previously asserted that he was being purposely overlooked and that he would receive the Nobel Prize regardless of his actions. "No, I won't be getting a Nobel Peace Prize, no matter what I do, including with Russia/Ukraine and Israel/Iran, whatever happens there, but the public knows my efforts, and that matters most to me," he expressed in a burst of criticism in July. Experts in the Nobel process indicated that the committee values ongoing, collaborative efforts more than quick diplomatic fixes. Theo Zenou, a historian and research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, noted that the President's initiatives have not demonstrated long-term effects. He highlighted a significant distinction between halting wars in the short term and addressing the underlying issues that cause conflict.

The announcement itself was filled with excitement. The Norwegian Nobel Committee released a video of its chair, Jorgen Watne Frydnes, preparing himself in a suit and tie before entering a room full of journalists to reveal the winner. Another clip showed him taking a drink of water while holding the winner's name in his hand. He then made his way to the hall and declared Machado's name: "The Nobel Peace Prize for 2025 is awarded to a courageous and devoted advocate of peace, to a woman who keeps the spirit of democracy alive in increasingly dark times."

In history, at least four former US presidents have received the Nobel Peace Prize, including Theodore Roosevelt in 1906, Woodrow Wilson in 1919, and Jimmy Carter in 2002. Barack Obama was honored in 2009 for his efforts in promoting nuclear disarmament and enhancing global diplomacy. Trump asserted that his record on peace is a greater achievement than those of other leaders, especially Obama's, who was awarded the Nobel within one year of taking office. "He received it for doing nothing," Trump criticized just hours before this year's announcement. "Obama won a prize—he didn’t really do anything—he was elected, and they awarded it to him for doing essentially nothing while harming our country," he remarked.