Donald Trump Nominated For Nobel Peace Prize? What It Means

US President Donald Trump has been nominated for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Iran. The nomination, submitted by Republican Congressman Buddy Carter, credits Trump with playing an "extraordinary and historic role" in halting a rapidly escalating conflict in the Middle East.

In a formal letter to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Representative Carter wrote, "President Trump's influence was instrumental in forging a swift agreement that many believed to be impossible." The Georgia lawmaker praised Trump's leadership in helping de-escalate what could have become a full-scale regional war, adding that "such a breakthrough demands both courage and clarity. President Trump demonstrated both, offering the world a rare glimpse of hope."

But there was a twist. 

Senior Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksandr Merezhko, one of Trump's former backers for the Nobel bid, withdrew his nomination, citing a loss of faith in the President's ability to deliver on his promise to end the war in Ukraine.

In November, Mr Merezhko, the head of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee, nominated Trump, hoping he would broker peace between Ukraine and Russia when elected.

"I have lost any sort of faith and belief in Trump and his ability to secure a ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv," Merezhko told Newsweek. He accused Trump of failing to act on his campaign promise to end the war within 24 hours.

"Trump is evading, he is dodging, the need to impose sanctions on Russia," he said.

Though Ukraine accepted a US-proposed peace deal in March, Russia hasn't responded.

In May, Trump warned, "If Putin is stalling, we'll respond a little bit differently," but no action followed. Merezhko also slammed Trump's muted response to Russian missile strikes on Kyiv, saying he chose "the path of appeasement."

Being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize means an eligible person has formally submitted a name for consideration. It doesn't imply endorsement or increase the chance of winning, as hundreds are nominated each year. The Nobel Committee reviews entries privately, and only the official shortlist and winner, announced in October, hold real significance.

The Iran-Israel ceasefire, announced by Trump on Monday, came only two days after he ordered a US military strike on three Iranian nuclear sites in support of Israeli operations. The president proposed calling the resolution the "12-Day War," and said he believed it was a turning point in avoiding a wider war in the region.

Earlier, Trump expressed deep sorrow for not being nominated even after his anti-war rhetoric over the years.

"I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize no matter what I do," he wrote Friday on Truth Social, referencing his past diplomatic efforts, including the 2020 Abraham Accords and attempts to mediate conflicts between India-Pakistan and Serbia-Kosovo.

"I should have gotten it four or five times... They won't give me a Nobel Peace Prize because they only give it to liberals," Trump later told reporters.

To date, three US presidents have received the Nobel Peace Prize: Theodore Roosevelt in 1906, Woodrow Wilson in 1919, and Barack Obama in 2009.

Trump's nomination also came on the heels of an endorsement by the Pakistani government. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had earlier praised Trump's diplomatic interventions, particularly for reducing tensions between India and Pakistan, and formally nominated him for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.

That support, however, quickly took a turn.

A day after the Pakistani endorsement, Trump ordered the strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Pakistan's Foreign Ministry issued a sharp rebuke, condemning the US actions as "deeply disturbing."