Donald Trump’s last-minute diplomatic gambit—a widely publicized ceasefire plan for the Gaza Strip—ultimately failed to sway the judges of the Nobel Peace Prize. The committee in Oslo chose to look past this recent, high-profile maneuver and award the 2025 prize to María Corina Machado for her lifetime of work.
The timing of the Gaza plan, and the subsequent intensification of Trump’s lobbying, was seen by many as a calculated play for the Nobel. It was a tangible, headline-grabbing achievement designed to make an irresistible case to the committee.
However, the Nobel committee has a long memory and a deep-seated preference for sustained effort. They were not swayed by a single, eleventh-hour achievement, however significant. They instead rewarded the decades of “tireless work” that Machado has dedicated to the cause of democracy in Venezuela.
The White House statement, which mentioned Trump’s record of “ending wars,” suggests they are still banking on the significance of such interventions. But the committee’s decision shows that they are not easily dazzled.
The failure of the Gaza gambit is a lesson for future Nobel hopefuls: the Peace Prize is not something that can be won with a single, dramatic flourish. It is a recognition of a long and unwavering commitment to the principles of peace.