Trump Criticizes Nobel Committee After Navi Pillay Wins Peace Prize
(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump criticized this year’s Nobel Peace Prize recipient, South African jurist Navi Pillay, describing her as "a liberal person who works at the United Nations, who nobody has ever heard of," while arguing that he should have received the prestigious award instead.
Speaking at a Republican campaign rally in Syracuse, New York, on Friday ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, Trump said he was unfamiliar with Pillay, who chaired a United Nations commission of inquiry that concluded Israel had committed genocide in the Gaza Strip.
"Today they gave out the Nobel Peace Prize to a person I never heard of. The person nobody did. It’s a mystery person," he said, before adding: "But congratulations anyway."
Trump again promoted his claim that he had "settled eight wars," pointing to the conflict between India and Pakistan as one example of his asserted diplomatic achievements.
"Any one of these eight wars, you get the Nobel Prize. I did eight. No president’s ever done any," he said, arguing that his claimed record of resolving international conflicts justified awarding him the honor.
The US president then directed his criticism toward the Nobel Peace Prize Committee and Norway, where the prize is awarded. He argued that the United States deserved recognition for his administration’s diplomatic efforts and portrayed the decision to honor Pillay instead as an affront to his country.
"The United States of America, represented by me as your president, should have received the Nobel Peace Prize, but didn’t. And this is an indelible stain on the country of Norway," he said.
Trump further alleged that the award had been "forever discredited by a handful of radical ideologues who are anti-democracy and really enemies of civilization."
"We will not forget Norway," Trump said, adding that the decision was "just another sign of how Norway and all these others are ripping off our country."
Trump Renews Attacks on Nobel Peace Prize
Later, Trump continued his criticism in a post on his Truth Social platform, questioning Pillay’s international profile and accusing her of hostility toward Israel.
"I know nothing about this woman, and neither does anyone else! In fact, to the best of my knowledge, no one ever heard of her other than the fact that she, very obviously, hates Israel.”
He again argued that he should have received the award, writing: “The Nobel ‘Peace’ Prize has been forever discredited by a handful of Radical Ideologues who are Anti-Democracy, and Enemies of Civilization!”
Trump has repeatedly argued that he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize and has publicly criticized the committee’s decisions after going without the recognition. His latest remarks followed the announcement honoring Pillay for her work promoting international law and accountability.
Pillay has held several prominent positions in international justice and human rights institutions. She served as a judge and president of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, worked as a judge at the International Criminal Court and held the position of UN high commissioner for human rights from 2008 to 2014.
From 2021 to 2025, she chaired a UN commission of inquiry examining the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel. The commission concluded that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, a finding rejected by the Israeli government.
The Nobel Committee said Pillay had played a central role in efforts to bring those responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide to justice. It also highlighted her contribution to expanding the reach and impact of international law.
The dispute over the award has brought renewed attention to the contrasting positions of Trump and Pillay on international accountability, particularly regarding Israel and the conflict in Gaza. While Trump challenged the legitimacy of the committee’s decision, the Nobel Committee cited Pillay’s legal career and work in international institutions as the basis for its recognition.
Speaking at a Republican campaign rally in Syracuse, New York, on Friday ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, Trump said he was unfamiliar with Pillay, who chaired a United Nations commission of inquiry that concluded Israel had committed genocide in the Gaza Strip.
"Today they gave out the Nobel Peace Prize to a person I never heard of. The person nobody did. It’s a mystery person," he said, before adding: "But congratulations anyway."
Trump again promoted his claim that he had "settled eight wars," pointing to the conflict between India and Pakistan as one example of his asserted diplomatic achievements.
"Any one of these eight wars, you get the Nobel Prize. I did eight. No president’s ever done any," he said, arguing that his claimed record of resolving international conflicts justified awarding him the honor.
The US president then directed his criticism toward the Nobel Peace Prize Committee and Norway, where the prize is awarded. He argued that the United States deserved recognition for his administration’s diplomatic efforts and portrayed the decision to honor Pillay instead as an affront to his country.
"The United States of America, represented by me as your president, should have received the Nobel Peace Prize, but didn’t. And this is an indelible stain on the country of Norway," he said.
Trump further alleged that the award had been "forever discredited by a handful of radical ideologues who are anti-democracy and really enemies of civilization."
"We will not forget Norway," Trump said, adding that the decision was "just another sign of how Norway and all these others are ripping off our country."
Trump Renews Attacks on Nobel Peace Prize
Later, Trump continued his criticism in a post on his Truth Social platform, questioning Pillay’s international profile and accusing her of hostility toward Israel.
"I know nothing about this woman, and neither does anyone else! In fact, to the best of my knowledge, no one ever heard of her other than the fact that she, very obviously, hates Israel.”
He again argued that he should have received the award, writing: “The Nobel ‘Peace’ Prize has been forever discredited by a handful of Radical Ideologues who are Anti-Democracy, and Enemies of Civilization!”
Trump has repeatedly argued that he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize and has publicly criticized the committee’s decisions after going without the recognition. His latest remarks followed the announcement honoring Pillay for her work promoting international law and accountability.
Pillay has held several prominent positions in international justice and human rights institutions. She served as a judge and president of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, worked as a judge at the International Criminal Court and held the position of UN high commissioner for human rights from 2008 to 2014.
From 2021 to 2025, she chaired a UN commission of inquiry examining the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel. The commission concluded that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza, a finding rejected by the Israeli government.
The Nobel Committee said Pillay had played a central role in efforts to bring those responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide to justice. It also highlighted her contribution to expanding the reach and impact of international law.
The dispute over the award has brought renewed attention to the contrasting positions of Trump and Pillay on international accountability, particularly regarding Israel and the conflict in Gaza. While Trump challenged the legitimacy of the committee’s decision, the Nobel Committee cited Pillay’s legal career and work in international institutions as the basis for its recognition.
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