Trump calls Nobel Peace Prize decision 'stain on Norway,' says he deserved eight awards

Speaking at a rally in Syracuse, New York, on October 9, Trump said he had never heard of Pillay, the former UN high commissioner for human rights and international judge.

"The Nobel Prize was given out today to a liberal person who works at the United Nations, who nobody has ever heard of," Trump said.

In a lengthy Truth Social post, he claimed Pillay was known only for allegedly hating Israel and questioned what she had accomplished.

Trump argued that the United States, represented by him, should have received the award instead.

"In actuality, I should have won 8 Nobel Peace Prizes, not just 1," he wrote, repeating his claim to have ended eight wars, an assertion that has been disputed.

"This is an indelible stain on Norway, one that will never be forgotten," Trump wrote, accusing the Nobel Committee of being controlled by "radical ideologues" and declaring the prize discredited.

The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by an independent five-member committee appointed by Norway's parliament, not by the Norwegian government.

Who is Navi Pillay?

Pillay, 85, served as UN high commissioner for human rights from 2008 to 2014 and previously worked as a judge at international criminal tribunals. She was recognized for her efforts to advance international law and accountability for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

Reacting to news of the award at Nuremberg's Palace of Justice, Pillay initially said, "It must be a joke."

As the audience applauded, she added with a smile: "If you clap a little bit more I may share this prize with Trump."

Trump also complained about missing out on the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025, when it was awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.

Machado later presented her Nobel medal to Trump at the White House, although the Nobel Committee clarified that the prize itself cannot be transferred or shared.