‘Well deserved’: Netanyahu nominates Trump for Nobel Peace Prize during White House dinner
At the White House on Monday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nominated U.S. President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, calling the award “well deserved” during their private dinner. The announcement came as both leaders discussed efforts to secure a Gaza ceasefire and address Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Netanyahu formally handed Trump a letter addressed to the Nobel Committee, citing his leadership in brokering regional peace deals and targeting Iran’s nuclear sites.
Netanyahu praised Trump’s role in “forging peace as we speak, in one country and one region after the other,” including the Abraham Accords and the recent Gaza-Israel ceasefire talks. Trump, visibly moved, accepted the letter and expressed gratitude for the nomination from a close ally.
A Reuters report highlighted that this nomination occurred as indirect negotiations unfold in Qatar to secure a 60-day ceasefire and hostages’ release from Gaza. The discussions were described as ongoing, involving phased Israeli troop withdrawals and humanitarian aid provisions.
Netanyahu and Trump also discussed the United States’ scheduled talks with Iran over its nuclear program. Trump reiterated that Iran “want to talk” and indicated a willingness to eventually lift sanctions under the right terms.
Outside the White House, protests marked discontent with U.S. and Israeli policies. Hundreds demonstrated against Israel’s military actions in Gaza, with placards reading “Stop Arming Israel” and “Say No to Genocide.”
Trump’s nomination adds to earlier endorsements—Georgia Rep. Buddy Carter credited him for helping broker peace between Israel and Iran, while Pakistan proposed his candidacy for facilitating an India-Pakistan ceasefire.
Trump and Netanyahu have met thrice since his January inauguration. Tensions continue in Gaza, with over 57,000 Palestinians killed since the war began in October 2023. indirect ceasefire talks resumed in Qatar on July 6. Israel’s military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June ended a brief 12-day conflict and helped initiate renewed dialogue. Netanyahu suggested some Palestinians might voluntarily relocate under international coordination—comments criticized by rights groups as potential ethnic cleansing.
Nobel rules allow state leaders to publicly disclose nominations. The committee will announce the 2025 laureate in October.
