Donald Trump and his administration made it clear that they thought he deserved the Nobel Peace Prize.
However, the award went to Venezualan politician Maria Corina today instead.
But would Trump really have been worthy of the honour?
Chief political writer and Spiked and writer for the Spectator Brendan O’Neill said he thinks the answer is clear.
“Yes, he has managed to – we think he has managed to – solve a pretty intractable conflict,” he told Newstalk Breakfast.
“It certainly looks like it’s going in the right direction.
“I think he has demonstrated through the Middle East question that peace is best pursued through strength, not through weakness.
“Not through pussy-footing around all the certain issues and questions, but actually showing strength, dragging people to the table, making them commit to a deal, and making progress.”
Washington D.C., USA - January 27 2020: US President Donald Trump shaking hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office at tTD with People Before Profit Paul Murphy disagreed, and said that awarding President Trump with the Nobel Peace Prize would have been “the equivalent of giving a pyromaniac the firefighter of the year award”.
“Since returning to office, he has armed, funded, enabled, the continuation of the genocide in Gaza,” he said.
“He’s given more than $10 billion in military aid to Israel, he supported the continued policy of imposed famine on the people of Gaza.
“He supported the establishment of the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which is about shutting off aid, allowing a tiny trickle through, and then mowing people down while they’re queuing for food.
“He bombed Iran, he supported Israel’s bombing of Iran, he supported Israel’s bombing of Yemen, he supported Israel’s invasion of Yemen and Lebanon.”
Rescuers work at the scene of an explosion after an Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 13, 2025. (Iranian Red Crescent Society via AP)According to Mr O’Neill, “dropping a bomb on Iran was probably a good idea”.
“’Poor little Iran’ - they sponsored Hamas,” he said.
“The thing is, so many of our governments, and I include the Irish Government sadly, and the British government, have emboldened Hamas by rewarding them with a state.
“Hamas itself said that the recognition of Palestine was the fruits of October 7th.”
According to Reuters, around 935 people were killed in Iran during their 12-day air war with Israel earlier this year.
Among the dead were 38 children and 132 women, based off figures from Iranian state media.
'Colonial carve-up'
Deputy Murphy pointed out that the previous ceasefire, announced around the time Trump took up office, was “broken by Israel” in March.
“Palestinians on the ground in Gaza are celebrating because they think there might be some element of relief,” he said.
“But if you go and read this peace deal presented by Trump, I mean, this is not a recipe for lasting peace.
“It’s a colonial carve-up; it’s like giving Cromwell the peace prize.”
Deputy Murphy said he welcomes the ceasefire, but he doesn’t want to see Palestinians subject to “an apartheid state” in its wake.
Main image: President Donald Trump speaks to reporters in the Oval Office of the White House, where he signed an executive order, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
