For several months leading up to the announcement of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, former U.S. President Donald Trump had been vocally asserting that he deserved the award for his diplomatic efforts and foreign policy achievements. Throughout 2024, Trump repeatedly claimed that his work to broker peace deals and end conflicts across the globe made him a leading candidate for this prestigious honor. Despite skepticism from critics and observers, he maintained that his contributions to international relations were unparalleled. Many betting markets and political analysts had even positioned him as a favorite to receive the prize.
However, when the Norwegian Nobel Committee finally revealed their decision, the award went not to Trump, but to María Corina Machado, a Venezuelan opposition leader known for her courageous and relentless fight for democracy in her country. Trump’s public statements throughout the year emphasized his belief that he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize. During a meeting with Israeli leaders earlier in 2024, he lamented, “They will never give me a Nobel Peace Prize. I deserve it, but they will never give it to me.” In speeches that followed, he boasted about his record in international conflicts, declaring, “I’ve done six wars, I’ve ended six wars … I didn’t do any ceasefires,” referring to the various peace deals and diplomatic breakthroughs he claimed to have achieved.
The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize took an unexpected turn when María Corina Machado, not Donald Trump, was announced as the recipient. The Norwegian Nobel Committee praised Machado for her “tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and her struggle to achieve a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.” Once an engineer, Machado emerged as one of the fiercest critics of Nicolás Maduro’s regime. Despite bans, persecution, and personal threats, she continues to fight for free elections and human rights, becoming a symbol of hope and resistance for millions of Venezuelans. Her award is expected to draw global attention to Venezuela’s democratic struggle and spark backlash from Maduro’s government.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump has continued to promote his own peace efforts, unveiling a new plan to end the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Although he declared it a “historic breakthrough,” fighting persists, and experts doubt its long-term success. Ultimately, Machado’s recognition underscores the difference between rhetoric and genuine courage — honoring a leader who risks everything for democracy and freedom.
