Norway PM Sets Record Straight on Trump’s Nobel Prize Claim
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store has firmly rejected former US President Donald Trump’s assertion that he was personally denied a Nobel Peace Prize. Store clarified that the prize is awarded by an independent committee over which he holds no influence.
Key Takeaways
- PM Jonas Gahr Store denies any role in Nobel Peace Prize selection, citing committee independence.
- Trump claimed the “head of Norway” blocked his prize over personal comments.
- The remarks reference a 2018 incident where Trump reportedly canceled a Norway visit.
- Trump also criticized the 2021 prize awarded to journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov.
Trump’s Fox News Interview Claims
In a recent Fox News interview, Donald Trump stated he was told by the “head of Norway” that he would have received the Nobel Peace Prize for brokering the Abraham Accords. He claimed the award was withheld due to “mean things” he said about the Norwegian Prime Minister.
“I helped make a deal, you know, with Israel and with four other countries. I was told by the head of Norway that I would have gotten the Nobel Peace Prize, but he wouldn’t give it to me because of the mean things I said about the Prime Minister of Norway,” Trump said.
Norwegian Prime Minister’s Official Response
Prime Minister Store responded via the Norwegian news agency NTB, providing a clear institutional rebuttal.
“The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, an independent body. As prime minister, I have no insight into or influence over the committee’s considerations,” Store stated.
He added definitively, “I have not nominated Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, nor have I discussed this with him.”
Background: The 2018 Incident
Trump’s comments appear linked to a 2018 diplomatic episode. Reports at the time indicated Trump canceled a planned visit to Norway after its leaders declined to discuss a potential Nobel nomination with him.
The situation arose after South Korean President Moon Jae-in publicly suggested Trump deserved the prize for his efforts with North Korea.
Criticism of 2021 Nobel Laureates
During the same interview, Trump criticized the Nobel Committee’s 2021 decision to honor journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov, calling it a “terrible” choice.
“They gave it to a woman from the Philippines who I don’t think is very highly thought of, and they gave it to a man from Russia who nobody ever heard of,” Trump said.
The response from Oslo underscores the strict separation between the Norwegian government and the Nobel selection process, a principle maintained for over a century.
