Will Donald Trump win the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize? Here is what students must know about the history of this award

Time of India

3 hours ago

Will Donald Trump win the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize?
In June 2025, Pakistan officially nominated U.S. President
Donald Trump
for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, citing his role in de-escalating a dangerous military standoff with India. The announcement immediately sparked global debate. Could one of the most polarizing political figures of our time be awarded the world's most prestigious honor for peace?
Pakistan claims Trump played a behind-the-scenes role in preventing a full-scale conflict, calling it a moment of decisive diplomacy.
Supporters see the nomination as deserved recognition; critics argue that one diplomatic act cannot outweigh a legacy marked by international withdrawals and domestic division. Yet Trump wouldn't be the first surprise nominee—or winner. Former U.S. President Barack Obama received the Peace Prize in 2009, just months into office.
In 2019, Ethiopia's Abiy Ahmed won for making peace with Eritrea, though he later faced backlash over internal conflict.
The prize has always sparked questions about who deserves it and why.
For students today, Trump's nomination is more than just a headline—it's an invitation to explore what the Nobel Peace Prize stands for, how it has evolved, and what it reveals about leadership, diplomacy, and the changing face of peace in the modern world.
What is the Nobel Peace Prize?
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of the most recognized international awards, established in 1901 by Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
What Is Your Writing Missing?
Grammarly
Install Now
Undo
It was meant to honor those who have contributed most to advancing peace, reducing armed conflict, and promoting diplomacy and humanitarian progress. Unlike other Nobel Prizes, the Peace Prize is awarded in Oslo, Norway, by a committee selected by the Norwegian Parliament.
For over a century, the award has honored a wide variety of individuals and organizations—leaders who forged peace treaties, journalists who risked their lives for truth, survivors who turned their trauma into activism, and movements that reshaped global policy.
For students and young changemakers, the Peace Prize serves as a real-world guide to the values that define global leadership, advocacy, and collective progress.
Historic peace laureates
One of the most legendary winners is Martin Luther King Jr., who received the prize in 1964 for his leadership in the nonviolent civil rights movement in the United States. His legacy continues to inspire youth-led protests and movements for racial justice around the world.
In 1979, Mother Teresa was awarded for her humanitarian work with the poor and dying in Kolkata, India. Her selfless service became a global symbol of compassion in action.
Malala Yousafzai, the youngest-ever Peace Prize recipient, won in 2014 at the age of 17. After surviving an assassination attempt by the Taliban, she became a powerful voice for girls' education and youth empowerment, making her an icon for student activism across the globe.
In 1993, Nelson Mandela and F.W. de Klerk were jointly awarded for their efforts to end apartheid in South Africa. Mandela's lifelong fight for equality and reconciliation transformed not just a nation, but global conversations about justice and healing.
The prize has also gone to organizations like the
United Nations
, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, and the World Food Programme, showing that peace is often achieved by collective effort—not just individual heroism.
How winners have defined peace
The Peace Prize isn't just for heads of state. In fact, many recent winners weren't politicians at all. In 2024, Japan's Nihon Hidankyo, a group of atomic bomb survivors, was honored for its powerful advocacy against nuclear weapons. In 2023, Narges Mohammadi, an Iranian human rights activist, won while imprisoned for her fight for women's rights and civil liberties. Their stories remind students that peace often begins with personal conviction, not public office.
In 2021, journalists Maria Ressa of the Philippines and Dmitry Muratov of Russia were recognized for defending press freedom in authoritarian regimes. In 2020, the World Food Programme was awarded for feeding communities in war zones and disaster areas—showing that fighting hunger is also a form of peacekeeping.
These winners teach us that peace is not limited to treaties. It includes the pursuit of justice, access to truth, and compassion during crises.
Their work is a powerful lesson for students who want to create impact, regardless of their field of study or background.
A history of controversial choices
Trump's nomination may seem unconventional, but so were many before him. Barack Obama's 2009 Peace Prize was awarded just nine months into his presidency, sparking criticism that it was based more on hope than achievement. Ethiopia's Abiy Ahmed was hailed in 2019 for ending a decades-long conflict with Eritrea, yet his later involvement in internal war led some to question the timing of his award.
There have also been high-profile omissions—most notably Mahatma Gandhi, who never received the Nobel Peace Prize despite being the face of nonviolent resistance. These examples show that the Nobel Peace Prize is as much about global context and symbolism as it is about accomplishment.