Norway is at a crossroads as the time to select the Nobel Peace Prize winner approaches. It’s safe to say that U.S. President Donald Trump will not win the coveted award this year. Trump has asserted for two years that he is due the Nobel Prize for his record diplomatic work. Should the Nobel Committee renege on awarding him for his achievements towards international peace – particularly for his role in brokering the recent Israeli-Hamas ceasefire agreement – expect an angry outburst on Twitter.
Kirsti Bergstø, leader of Norway’s Socialist Left party, published strong sentiments against the award of the Nobel Peace Prize. She thinks that giving it to Trump would be epic-level shocking. She emphasized the unpredictability of Trump’s reactions, highlighting concerns among Norwegian politicians regarding possible tensions in U.S.-Norway relations if he is overlooked.
“The Nobel Committee is an independent body and the Norwegian government has no involvement in determining the prizes,” Bergstø explained. Even with this independence, she seemed skeptical that Trump has a clear grasp on this separation of powers.
The Members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee are appointed by the Norwegian parliament. That’s because they adhere to the spirit of the guidelines Alfred Nobel established in his will. This process complicates the public’s understanding of how nominees are selected and contributes to the uncertainty surrounding Trump’s potential candidacy.
Nina Græger, the head of the Peace Research Institute Oslo (Prio), celebrates the bone thrown to the truly worthy recipients. Her nominations include Sudan’s Emergency Response Rooms, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom as deserving winners. Græger endorsed Trump’s efforts to bring peace to the conflict in Gaza. He cautioned about the real effect and long-lasting nature of those peace proposals still coming.
Bergstø voiced concern about Trump’s volatile nature. “Donald Trump is taking the US in an extreme direction, attacking freedom of speech, having masked secret police kidnapping people in broad daylight and cracking down on institutions and the courts,” she said.
“It is very difficult to explain to Donald Trump or to many other countries in the world that it is a totally independent committee because they do not respect this kind of independence,” she added.
Arild Hermstad, leader of Norway’s Green Party, echoed similar sentiments regarding Trump’s unpredictability. He stated, “Peace prizes are earned through sustained commitment, not through social media tantrums and not from intimidation.” Hermstad stressed that it’s the independence of the Nobel Committee that gives the award its credibility.
The decision regarding this year’s Nobel Peace Prize was finalized during the last meeting of the Nobel Committee on Monday. As things stand now, most experts and observers will tell you that it’s virtually inconceivable that Trump will get the honor.
For Norwegian politicians it’s preparation for all possible outcomes. They want to be prepared in the event that Trump loses the nomination and reacts badly. Bergstø cautioned that Oslo should be “ready for every eventuality” in light of Trump’s possible reaction.
In early July, Trump made the call that worried Jens Stoltenberg, Norway’s finance minister and former NATO secretary-general. His interest was piqued to find out more about the Nobel Prize process. His stubborn insistence that he deserved the award reflects his continuing delusions about his international diplomacy.
Most Norwegians remain skeptical of Trump’s prospects. They ask if he really embodies the ideals that Alfred Nobel stood for. As one observer noted regarding Trump’s past actions, “Trump’s retreat from international institutions…do not align well with Nobel’s will.”