Norway is preparing for how President Donald Trump might respond after he was not awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
On Friday (October 10), the Norwegian Nobel Committee revealed that Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her dedication to promoting democratic rights in Venezuela and her efforts to facilitate a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.
The decision came several days before a ceasefire was reached between Israel and Hamas under the US president’s Gaza plan.
Machado, who is currently living in hiding in Venezuela due to severe threats to her life, was overjoyed by the announcement.
"I'm in shock!" she exclaimed in a video shared with AFP, speaking to Edmundo González, who had replaced her as the candidate after she was barred from running for the presidency.
The Nobel Committee praised Machado's unyielding resistance to authoritarianism, noting that her refusal to back down in the face of government oppression was exemplary.
"When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognize courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist," the Committee stated in their citation, per The Independent.
Despite facing personal danger, Machado continues to fight for democratic change from within Venezuela, even though she was barred from running in last year's elections.
Concerns in Norway Over Trump’s Reaction
The Norwegian government is now preparing for any potential fallout after Trump was notably excluded from receiving the prize, despite his longstanding public interest in being awarded the honor.
The president, who had previously expressed a belief that he deserved the prize, even going so far as to reportedly call Jens Stoltenberg, Norway’s finance minister and former NATO secretary general, earlier this year to inquire about the award, did not receive this year’s accolade.
His failure to win has sparked concerns about how he may react.
Kirsti Bergstø, the leader of Norway’s Socialist Left party, emphasized the unpredictability of Trump's actions, especially given his volatile political behavior.
“Donald Trump is taking the US in an extreme direction, attacking freedom of speech, having masked secret police kidnapping people in broad daylight, and cracking down on institutions and the courts,” Bergstø said, per The Guardian.
“When the president is this volatile and authoritarian, of course, we have to be prepared for anything.”
“The Nobel Committee is an independent body, and the Norwegian government has no involvement in determining the prizes.
"But I’m not sure Trump knows that. We have to be prepared for anything from him," Bergstø added.
Trump’s History of Pursuing the Prize
Trump's interest in the Nobel Peace Prize has been well-documented, particularly after former President Barack Obama received the honor in 2009.
The 79-year-old has repeatedly claimed that he should win and even boasted about his supposed efforts in halting wars at the United Nations in September, claiming to world leaders that he had stopped seven “unendable wars".
However, Arild Hermstad, the leader of Norway's Green Party, reminded the public that the Nobel Peace Prize is an honor earned through sustained commitment to peace.
“Peace prizes are earned through sustained commitment, not through social media tantrums and not from intimidation,” Hermstad remarked.
While Trump's support of the recent ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was acknowledged, it was not seen as sufficient to merit the prestigious award.
Kristian Berg Harpviken, director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute, assured the public that the Nobel Committee operates independently, despite criticisms about the political nature of the committee’s appointments.
But, Harpviken also acknowledged that the appointment process can sometimes be misinterpreted, especially given that committee members are chosen by the Norwegian parliament, which can complicate perceptions of its neutrality.
Speculation About Trump’s Potential Retaliation
Columnist Harald Stanghelle speculated that Trump’s reaction to not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize could be unpredictable and far-reaching.
“He [Trump] is so unpredictable.
"I don’t want to use the word ‘fear,’ but there is a feeling that it could be a challenging situation,” Stanghelle said, suggesting that retaliation could take various forms, including economic sanctions, demands for increased NATO contributions, or even a declaration of Norway as an enemy.
Despite the controversy surrounding the US leader's exclusion, the Nobel Peace Prize remains one of the most prestigious honors in the world.
Previous winners include iconic figures like Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, and Henry Kissinger, as well as activists and leaders who have made long-lasting contributions to global peace.