Bloomberg: Trump’s team actively pushes for Nobel Peace Prize nomination

Aides to U.S. President Donald Trump, including special envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have been vigorously campaigning both publicly and privately to secure the Nobel Peace Prize for the president.

According to the publication, key members of Trump’s circle have been promoting his nomination during private discussions. Steve Witkoff has reportedly raised the topic with European contacts behind closed doors, while Marco Rubio has been enlisted to persuade others to support Trump’s bid for the award.

This lobbying effort has raised concerns in Norway, home to the Nobel Committee, where officials worry about a potentially negative reaction from Trump if he does not receive the prize.

Sources familiar with the matter, who spoke anonymously due to the private nature of the conversations, revealed that Witkoff has been engaging European officials about the Nobel Prize in confidential settings. Rubio has also been involved at times in advocating for Trump’s candidacy. In July, Trump himself made an unexpected call to Norway’s finance minister and former NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg while walking in Oslo. The call covered tariffs but also included discussion about the Nobel Prize, according to Norwegian officials who confirmed the conversation after it was initially reported by local business media.

Even the private sector has joined the effort. Albert Bourla, CEO of Pfizer, recently commended Trump’s leadership of Operation Warp Speed, which accelerated COVID-19 vaccine development in the U.S., stating that the initiative “would typically be worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize.”

The Nobel Committee, comprised of five members appointed by Norway’s parliament, keeps its deliberations secret for 50 years. This means that unless Trump wins the award on October 10, historians will have to wait decades to learn whether he was on the 2025 shortlist.

Norway is anxiously awaiting the announcement, which comes at a delicate time for its government. Asked about the possible fallout if the mercurial U.S. president is passed over, a senior official, speaking anonymously, half-joked about taking a sick day on October 10.

Norway’s $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund—the world’s largest—recently divested from multiple Israeli companies due to their involvement in the Gaza conflict, and also removed the American firm Caterpillar from its investments because of its bulldozers’ use in Palestinian territories. This move sparked backlash in the U.S., with Republican senators proposing visa restrictions on the fund’s executives and considering tariff hikes on Norway. The Trump administration has already imposed a 15% tariff on Norwegian imports under its global tariff program, even as trade discussions between the two countries continue.

Though Norway’s trade exposure to the U.S. is relatively small, accounting for just 3% of exports, any additional tariffs or restrictions on the sovereign wealth fund could complicate relations further.

When questioned about concerns over a backlash if Trump does not win, Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide emphasised that the Nobel Committee operates independently and that the decision rests solely with them.

Nominations for the 2025 prize closed on January 31, with 338 candidates, including 94 organisations. This deadline fell less than two weeks after Trump resumed the presidency, meaning later endorsements — such as those from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet — will only be considered for the 2026 prize. Pakistan also announced in June its support for Trump’s nomination for next year.

The Nobel Peace Prize selection process is highly confidential. From the initial 338 nominees, a longlist was created earlier this year, though its size is undisclosed. Experts affiliated with the Nobel Institute then evaluate the nominations. As the process progresses, the committee consults international researchers and specialists for detailed assessments, all under strict confidentiality rules that keep the details sealed for 50 years.

By Tamilla Hasanova