Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally nominated Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize on Monday, surprising the president with a letter during a White House dinner.
The nomination came as the two leaders met in the Blue Room to discuss a possible ceasefire in Gaza, along with broader regional issues. As they sat at the dinner table, Netanyahu handed Trump the letter and praised him for “forging peace, as we speak, in one country, in one region after the other.”
Trump responded with surprise.
“Thank you very much, this I didn’t know, wow, thank you very much, coming from you in particular, this is very meaningful, thank you very much Bibi,” he said.
Netanyahu: I want to present to you, Mr. President, the letter I sent to the Nobel Prize Committee, nominating you for the peace prize, which is well-deserved
Trump: Wow pic.twitter.com/Sg78wcWHFW
— Acyn (@Acyn) July 7, 2025
In the letter, Netanyahu stated that the Abraham Accords, which are deals between Israel and several Arab governments facilitated by Trump during his first term, “reshaped the Middle East and marked a historic advance toward peace, security, and regional stability.”
Trump has often expressed frustration that he has not received a Nobel prize, which former President Barack Obama was awarded early in his tenure.
Last month, he posted on Truth Social: “No, I won’t get a Nobel Peace Prize no matter what I do… but the people know, and that’s all that matters to me!”
He has previously been nominated for the prize by American and foreign lawmakers, including for his diplomatic efforts in North Korea in 2018.
Outside the White House, however, the scene was met with skepticism.
“Every world leader knows exactly how to play Trump,” wrote Julia Ioffe, a journalist at Puck News, on X.
Tommy Vietor, a former Obama National Security Council spokesman, called the move “pathetic a**-kissing and a PR stunt.”
“I’d imagine the folks who award the Nobel Peace Prize aren’t the biggest Netanyahu fans,” he added.
Yet even as Trump touted his peacemaking credentials, the wars he once promised to quickly end remain unresolved. He has repeatedly claimed he could end the war in Ukraine “in 24 hours,” but the conflict continues with no sign of resolution. And in Gaza, where he and Netanyahu met to discuss a possible ceasefire, the war has yet to stop. Last month, the United States joined Israel’s war on Iran, bombing three nuclear facilities.
