Trump Slams Nobel Peace Prize Decision as ‘Disgraceful’, Insists Honour Should Have Gone to Him

US President Donald Trump has sharply criticised the decision to award the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize to South African jurist Navi Pillay, calling the choice “disgraceful and embarrassing” and insisting that he deserved the prestigious honour instead.

Speaking at a rally in Syracuse, New York, on October 9, Trump attacked the Norwegian Nobel Committee after it selected Pillay for her work promoting peace, international law and accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity. His remarks were reported on October 10.

Trump described Pillay as a “mystery person” and said he had never heard of her. He argued that the prize should have gone to the United States under his leadership, declaring that the committee’s decision had left an “indelible stain” on Norway.

“The United States of America, represented by me as your president, should have received the Nobel Peace Prize, but didn’t,” Trump told supporters.

The president also repeated his claim that he had helped resolve eight international conflicts, arguing that his diplomatic efforts merited recognition. However, his claims about ending several conflicts have been disputed, and some of the situations he cited remain unresolved.

Pillay, a former United Nations high commissioner for human rights, has spent decades working in international law. She served as a judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Court, contributing to efforts to investigate atrocities and hold perpetrators accountable.

The Nobel Committee recognised her work in advancing international justice and strengthening the principle that political leaders and states should be held responsible for serious violations of international law.

Her selection has also generated controversy because of her role in a United Nations commission that concluded Israel had committed genocide in Gaza. Israel strongly rejects that finding, and the issue has become a source of sharp international political disagreement.

Trump has criticised Pillay over her position on Israel, while his administration has taken a confrontational approach towards international legal institutions, including the International Criminal Court.

The dispute has placed the Nobel Peace Prize at the centre of a broader debate over diplomacy, accountability and the role of international institutions. The award is decided by an independent Norwegian Nobel Committee, not directly by the Norwegian government.

Pillay’s recognition highlights a career devoted to human rights and international justice, while Trump’s reaction underscores his longstanding public desire to receive the prize.

The contrasting responses reflect competing views of peace: one centred on political leaders’ claims of diplomatic achievement, the other on sustained efforts to establish accountability for abuses and strengthen international law.