The White House on Friday issued a scathing rebuke of the Norwegian Nobel Committee following its decision to award the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, bypassing U.S. President Donald Trump despite his repeated claims of unprecedented global peace initiatives.
White House spokesman Steven Cheung condemned the move as “politically motivated,” accusing the Nobel Committee of favoring ideology over impact.
“President Trump will continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will,” Cheung wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace.”
The Nobel Committee, in its announcement earlier Friday, hailed Machado and other Venezuelan democracy activists as “courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist authoritarian leadership.” Machado, a vocal critic of President Nicolás Maduro, has endured arrests, travel restrictions, and political harassment over her role in the country’s democratic opposition.
The Committee’s selection signals international backing for Venezuela’s embattled civil society amid years of political repression and economic decline.
President Trump, who did not issue a direct statement following the announcement, reposted a series of videos on his Truth Social platform showing crowds celebrating the recent ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza — a move his administration has touted as one of several major diplomatic breakthroughs.
During a recent meeting with top U.S. military leaders, Trump had anticipated the snub.
“Will I get the Nobel Prize? Absolutely not. They’ll give it to some guy that didn’t do a damn thing,” Trump said. “It’s a big insult to our country.”
Trump has long sought recognition from the Nobel Committee, often pointing to the Abraham Accords, negotiations with North Korea, and his claims of ending “eight wars” during his time in office. Despite repeated nominations by allied lawmakers, the Nobel Committee has so far passed over his candidacy.
Under Nobel Prize rules, nominations for the 2025 award closed on January 31, just eleven days after Trump began his second term in office. His aides argue the timeline unfairly excluded his recent diplomatic efforts, including the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
Despite Friday’s setback, senior White House officials say Trump remains committed to pursuing new peace accords in the Middle East and Asia before the end of 2025.
“The president’s focus is not on accolades, but outcomes,” one official told reporters. “He will continue doing what the world needs most — making peace where others have failed.”
