President Donald Trump says he isn’t focused on winning the Nobel Peace Prize, even as global attention grows around his administration’s military campaign against Iran.
In a phone interview Thursday with the Washington Examiner, Trump dismissed speculation that his latest foreign policy moves are part of an effort to secure the prestigious international award.
“I don’t know,” Trump said when asked whether the ongoing military campaign known as Operation Epic Fury might help him win the Nobel Prize.
“I’m not interested in it,” the president added.
Trump also made it clear that the topic rarely comes up in his discussions with world leaders.
“No, I don’t talk about the Nobel Prize,” he said.
Trump Says Iran’s Military Has Been Crushed
The comments come as the Trump administration signals that the war with Iran may be nearing its conclusion.
Operation Epic Fury began on February 28, when U.S. and Israeli forces launched coordinated strikes against Iranian military infrastructure and leadership targets.
The operation reportedly resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, dramatically escalating tensions in the region.
According to Trump, the military campaign severely crippled Iran’s ability to continue the fight.
Speaking Wednesday night to supporters at a packaging plant in Hebron, Kentucky, Trump suggested the conflict was effectively decided almost immediately.
“You never want to say too early that you’ve won,” Trump told the crowd.
“But the truth is — we won. The first hour, it was over.”
Still, the president cautioned that the mission must be completed carefully.
“We don’t want to leave early, do we?” Trump added. “We’ve got to finish the job.”
Trump’s Long History With Nobel Peace Prize Talk
Although Trump now says the Nobel Prize isn’t a priority, the idea has been debated for years among supporters and critics alike.
During his presidency, Trump frequently highlighted several foreign policy achievements that he believed deserved international recognition.
Among the accomplishments he has pointed to:
- The Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and multiple Arab nations
- Peace negotiations between Serbia and Kosovo
- Diplomatic efforts involving Egypt and Ethiopia over Nile River water disputes
In a Truth Social post last year, Trump argued that these diplomatic achievements were largely ignored by the Nobel Committee.
“I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize for stopping the war between Serbia and Kosovo,” Trump wrote.
“I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize for the Abraham Accords… which helped bring historic cooperation to the Middle East.”
Trump concluded the message by saying that the recognition of the American people mattered far more to him than international awards.
“The people know,” he wrote. “And that’s what matters to me.”
Trump Criticized Norway Over Nobel Decision
Earlier this year, Trump also made headlines after criticizing Norwegian officials when he did not receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025.
In a text message later released publicly, Trump expressed frustration to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, arguing that his administration’s diplomatic achievements had gone unrecognized.
However, Norwegian officials responded by emphasizing an important point.
The Norwegian government does not award the Nobel Peace Prize.
Instead, the prize is selected by the independent Norwegian Nobel Committee, which evaluates nominations from around the world.
Several Lawmakers Have Nominated Trump
Despite the controversy, Trump has received multiple nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize in recent years.
Several Republican members of Congress publicly supported his nomination, including:
- Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Luna
- Georgia Rep. Buddy Carter
- California Rep. Darrell Issa
However, many of those nominations reportedly arrived after the official deadline in early 2025, meaning they could not be considered that year.
International leaders and political figures in several countries have also expressed support for Trump receiving the prize.
The 2025 Nobel Winner: María Corina Machado
The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize ultimately went to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.
The Nobel Committee said it honored Machado for her efforts to promote democracy and civil rights in Venezuela while opposing the country’s authoritarian government.
In an unusual move earlier this year, Machado symbolically offered her Nobel Prize to Trump as a gesture of appreciation for his support of democratic movements in Latin America.
Trump publicly accepted the gesture.
However, the Nobel Foundation later clarified that the prize itself cannot be transferred to another person, noting that protecting the dignity of the award is part of its mission.
Trump Focused on Victory, Not Awards
While debates over the Nobel Peace Prize continue, Trump appears far more focused on current global events.
With Operation Epic Fury still underway and tensions in the Middle East remaining high, the administration’s priority is completing the mission and stabilizing the region.
For Trump, the goal is simple.
Finish the job overseas — and protect American interests — whether international awards follow or not.