Is the Nobel Peace Prize the way to President Donald Trump’s heart? Some world leaders seem to think so.
It started with Pakistan. Israel and Cambodia followed. And now, following Trump’s “peace summit” bringing together the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan on Aug. 8, and ending decades of conflict, the two former Soviet states have promised to write a joint nomination to the Nobel committee.
Trump has long coveted the Nobel Peace Prize, and his friends, including lawmakers, have nominated him for the honor numerous times. He’s also mocked former President Barack Obama, who won the award in 2009 one year into his first term, saying he didn’t know “what the hell he got it for.”
Asked by a reporter if he had any “thoughts on the talk about President Trump winning the Nobel Peace Prize,” Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said during the White House event that he would “promote” and “favor” such a move.
Seated next to Trump, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan went on to suggest a “joint appeal” to Norway-based Nobel Peace Prize committee.
As leaders of countries “which were at war for more than three decades, having this historic signature here, it really means a lot,” said Aliyev.
“This is tangible result of President Trump’s leadership, and no one could have achieved that,” Aliyev added.
Pashinyan then jokingly asked Trump if there was a draft of the nomination letter available so he could sign right there. Aliyev quickly joined in to say he’d sign, too.
The only thing the leaders wanted in return? Invitation to the ceremony.
“You’ll be front row,” Trump promised.
A few minutes later a reporter asked Trump if October 10, when the Norwegian committee is slated to make the announcement, was circled on his calendar.
“I can’t say,” Trump responded, adding that because he’s of “a certain persuasion, no matter what I do, they won’t give it.”
“I’m not politicking for it,” said Trump. “I have a lot of people that are.”
Back in June, soon after Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir met with Trump in the wake of a four-day India-Pakistan conflict, the Pakistan government announced that it was nominating Trump for the Nobel Prize “in recognition of his decisive diplomatic intervention and pivotal leadership” during the conflict.
India did not credit Trump with playing a role in the ceasefire.
In July, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented Trump during a White House visit with a letter that he said he had sent to the Nobel committee nominating him for the prize.
Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet announced on Aug. 7 that he had also nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his “direct attention to initiating and pushing for a ceasefire between the Cambodian army and Thai army” to stop the border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand.
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House correspondent for USA TODAY. You can follow her on X @SwapnaVenugopal
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump says he’s not ‘politicking’ for a Nobel. But others are.
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