United States President Donald Trump’s long-standing frustration over missing out on the Nobel Peace Prize has resurfaced in a sharply worded message to Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, in which Trump suggested he no longer feels obligated to “think purely of peace” following the prize committee’s decision not to honour him.

The barbed communication, confirmed on Monday, underscores Trump’s continued fixation with the prestigious award and his belief that his foreign policy record merited recognition from the Nobel Peace Prize, which is awarded annually in Oslo.

‘No Longer Feel an Obligation to Think Purely of Peace’

According to the message confirmed by sources familiar with the matter, Trump told Store:

“Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace.”

The remark, delivered directly to the Norwegian leader, was first confirmed by a source close to the matter to AFP and later acknowledged by Store himself in comments to the Norwegian newspaper VG.

Trump’s claim that he helped end “eight wars” has been widely disputed by analysts and international observers. Some of the conflicts cited by Trump were brief flare-ups, such as tensions between India and Pakistan, while others—most notably Israel’s war on Gaza and fighting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)—remain active and deadly.

Confusion Over Norway’s Role in Nobel Decision

The message raised questions in Oslo and Washington alike, as the Nobel Peace Prize is not awarded by the Norwegian government but by the independent Norwegian Nobel Committee, whose members are appointed by parliament but operate autonomously.

In a written response, Prime Minister Store reiterated that distinction.

“I have clearly explained, including to President Trump, what is well known: the prize is awarded by an independent Nobel Committee,” Store said.

Despite repeated clarifications over the years, Trump has frequently conflated Norway’s political leadership with the Nobel process, directing his criticism at Oslo rather than the committee itself.

A Long-Running Obsession With the Nobel Peace Prize

Trump has openly expressed resentment for years over being overlooked for the Nobel Peace Prize, often contrasting himself with past winners such as former US President Barack Obama, who received the award in 2009.

That bitterness surfaced again recently when Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, presented Trump with her Nobel medal during a visit to the White House.

The meeting, which took place two weeks after US special forces abducted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, was notable for its secrecy. Trump, who often allows live television coverage of high-profile meetings, barred cameras from the room. The White House later released a photograph showing Machado handing the medal to Trump.

Machado, Venezuela, and the Medal Controversy

Machado, a right-wing opposition figure, won the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her role in leading Venezuela’s opposition movement. She emerged as a key challenger to Maduro after winning the opposition’s presidential primary in 2023, positioning her as a frontrunner for the 2024 election.

However, Venezuela’s Supreme Tribunal of Justice upheld a ban barring Machado from running for office. Authorities accused her of backing US sanctions, being linked to an alleged weapons plot through her party, and contributing to financial losses involving Venezuelan assets such as Citgo and Monomeros.

During her Washington visit, Machado said she offered the medal to Trump:

“As a recognition for his unique commitment to our freedom.”

Trump later confirmed on social media that Machado had left the medal with him, writing:

“She is a wonderful woman who has been through so much. María presented me with her Nobel Peace Prize for the work I have done.”

Nobel Committee Pushes Back

In response to the controversy, the Norwegian Nobel Institute reiterated that a Nobel Peace Prize cannot be transferred, shared, or reassigned once awarded.

Under the statutes of the Nobel Foundation and the will of Alfred Nobel, the prize belongs solely to the recipient, regardless of who physically possesses the medal.

FIFA Peace Prize Adds to Controversy

Trump’s pursuit of peace-related accolades has also extended beyond the Nobel. In December, FIFA President Gianni Infantino presented Trump with the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize during a lavish ceremony.

The move drew international criticism and raised concerns about FIFA’s stated commitment to political neutrality. Infantino’s enthusiastic praise of Trump prompted a formal ethics complaint.

Human rights organisation FairSquare said it had filed a complaint with FIFA’s ethics committee, arguing that the award and Infantino’s conduct violated the organisation’s ethical standards and undermined the interests of the global football community.

Diplomatic Implications

Trump’s message to Norway’s prime minister—suggesting that disappointment over the Nobel Prize could shape his outlook on peace—has alarmed some observers, who warn it reflects a transactional and personal approach to diplomacy.

While it remains unclear whether the remark will translate into concrete policy shifts, it adds to growing concerns about how personal grievances and symbolic recognition influence Trump’s foreign policy posture.