Trump openly hints at Nobel Peace Prize hopes, takes swipe at Obama

US President Donald Trump [Getty Images]

US President Donald Trump has made clear he is hoping to win this year's Nobel Peace Prize.

Speaking at the White House on Wednesday (local time), Trump said he was unsure what decision the Nobel Peace Committee would make, adding that the committee has "a reputation for not giving it to people like me," Yonhap said.

The announcement of this year's Nobel Peace Prize winner is two days away.

Trump insisted that whether or not he receives the prize, "I've done so much more," and warned that passing him over "would be a great embarrassment to them."

He said he had resolved eight wars, saved millions of lives and freed hostages, declaring, "I've done things that nobody else has done." He added, "I'm not bragging — I'm just stating the facts."

He also said he had prevented Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, suggesting he may have stopped "the complete and total destruction of the world."

Trump also took aim at former President Barack Obama, bringing up Obama's Nobel Peace Prize win. "Obama did nothing and he got it," Trump said, adding, "Doesn't he still not know why he got it?"

Trump also revealed that Maria Corina Machado, the Venezuelan opposition leader who won last year's Nobel Peace Prize, had offered to give him her Nobel medal, saying she told him that "no one deserves this award more than President Trump."

287 nominations submitted for Nobel Peace Prize

Also on Wednesday, AFP reported that while Trump is not considered a frontrunner for this year's Nobel Peace Prize, he is casting a long shadow over deliberations on the award.

Haakon Gjerlow, director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo, described Trump as "the ghost in the room" — an unsettling presence weighing on all parties involved.

He said that given the White House's likely reaction, the Nobel Committee is probably asking itself whether awarding the prize could "do more harm than good."

The Nobel Committee, however, has maintained that outside pressure does not influence its deliberations.

Kristian Berg Harpviken, secretary general of the Nobel Committee, said that "there is always a lot of lobbying going on, and ultimately there may be attempts to pressure the committee," but added, "We do discuss that issue, but it does not affect the final decision."

A total of 287 individuals and organizations were nominated for this year's Nobel Peace Prize. According to PRIO, there were 65 state-involved armed conflicts last year — the highest number since 1946.

"It is clear that the world is not moving in the right direction overall," Harpviken said. "At the same time, there is no shortage of individuals and organizations doing good work. The peace prize can carry more meaning than ever."

yul@heraldcorp.com