U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly decried Norway’s decision to award the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize to former International Criminal Court judge Navi Pillay, calling the award a disgraceful and embarrassing act that leaves an indelible stain on the country.
Trump delivered the remarks during a campaign rally in Syracuse, New York, insisting that he had consistently been promised the Nobel Peace Prize and that the Norwegian committee’s selection process was opaque and politicised.
Pillay, a South African jurist who served as a United Nations human rights chief, was honoured for her work in advancing international law and securing prosecutions for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, according to the Nobel Committee.
The award ignited comments from Trump’s team, who previously questioned the legitimacy of the Nobel Committee and claimed that politics, not peace, guided its decisions, echoing similar criticisms when the prize was awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado in 2025.
In the wake of the announcement, Pillay appeared at the Nuremberg Palace of Justice, joking that she might share the prize with Trump if the ceremony clapped louder, before accepting the honor with thanks for the global implications.
The Nobel Committee reinforced that a prize, once announced, is irrevocable and cannot be transferred, a stance reiterated after White House officials previously attempted to present a medal to Trump in an effort to recognise his presidential achievement.
