United States President Donald Trump has criticised the Norwegian Nobel Committee over its decision to award the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize to South African judge and human rights advocate Navi Pillay, insisting that he deserved the honour instead.
Trump described the committee’s decision as “disgraceful and embarrassing” while addressing supporters at a rally in Syracuse, New York, on Friday.
Pillay was recognised for her efforts in combating war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Reacting to her selection, Trump said he had never heard of the laureate but offered her congratulations before questioning why the award was not given to him.
“The United States of America, represented by me as your president, should have received the Nobel Peace Prize, but didn’t,” he said.
He further accused the committee of discrediting the prestigious award, claiming that its decision had left “an indelible stain” on Norway.
“The Nobel Peace Prize has been forever discredited by a handful of radical ideologues who are anti-democracy and really enemies of civilisation,” Trump added.
Since returning to the White House in January 2025, the American president has repeatedly expressed his desire to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
However, experts in Oslo had questioned his suitability for the award ahead of Friday’s announcement, citing his war against Iran, territorial ambitions, including his interest in Greenland, strict immigration policies and criticism of multilateral institutions and the media.
The Nobel Peace Prize comes with a gold medal, a diploma and a cash award of approximately $1.2 million.
Meanwhile, Pillay appeared to make a light-hearted reference to Trump following the announcement, joking that she might share the honour with him if the audience applauded her more enthusiastically.
“If you clap a little bit more, I may share this prize with Trump,” she told the cheering crowd.
Her remark appeared to reference Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who reportedly handed her Nobel gold medal to Trump after winning the award in 2025.
