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White House Communications Director Steven Cheung accused the Norwegian Nobel Committee of putting “politics over peace,” early Friday, after the panel did not select President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.
“He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will,” Cheung wrote in a statement on social platform X, referring to Trump.
“The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace,” he added.
Trump and several of his allies have for weeks campaigned for the president to win the prestigious award, citing his work to resolve at least seven conflicts since returning to the White House in January. He also received backing from several other countries including Israel, Cambodia and Pakistan.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) formally nominated the president on Thursday for the prize for his efforts to broker a peace deal between Israel and Hamas. Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a 20-point plan last month to bring an end to the two-year-long war in Gaza. Both sides signaled support for the first stages of the deal.
Israel confirmed early Friday that a ceasefire began in the Gaza Strip.
The Nobel Committee announced that Maria Corina Machado of Venezuela is the recipient of the prize.
In a statement, the committee said her “tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.”
In spite of not being selected, Cheung said Trump will “continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives.”
Trump on Thursday had shrugged off questions about his chances of receiving the award, despite saying late last month that it would be an “insult” if he did not win.
“They’ll have to do what they do,” he said of the committee. “Whatever they do is fine. I know this, I didn’t do it for that. I did it because I saved a lot of lives.”
His bid was considered a long shot as nominations for the award are expected to be in by Feb. 1.
