President Trump convened the first meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington, D.C., welcoming global leaders to the table. The gathering aimed to foster international cooperation on critical issues, though not all nations were participating directly in the board itself.
During the meeting, Trump announced Norway’s commitment to host a separate event focused on Palestinian aid. He playfully anticipated a different announcement altogether, momentarily believing he would be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
“I thought they were going to say they were giving me the Nobel Prize,” Trump remarked with a smile, before acknowledging the true purpose of Norway’s contribution. He quickly asserted his priorities lay in tangible results, stating, “I don’t care about the Nobel Prize. I care about saving lives.”
Trump had previously received nominations for the prestigious award, but those submissions arrived after the Nobel Committee’s deadline. The prize ultimately went to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who was living in exile at the time.
Following the overthrow of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, Machado traveled to the United States and presented Trump with her Nobel Peace Prize. It was a symbolic gesture steeped in history, referencing a medal given to Simón Bolívar by the Marquis de Lafayette centuries earlier.
Machado explained the historical significance, noting that Lafayette’s gift to Bolívar bore the image of George Washington, representing a bond of solidarity in the fight for freedom. She presented the medal as a continuation of that shared struggle.
Trump publicly acknowledged Machado’s gesture, expressing his gratitude on social media. He described her as a “wonderful woman” and lauded the “wonderful gesture of mutual respect” in receiving the prize.
While declining to join the Board of Peace, Norway is taking a leading role in addressing Palestinian aid. The nation will convene its Ad-Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC), a body it has chaired for decades since the Oslo Accords.
The AHLC was originally established to support the Oslo Accords’ efforts to resolve the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Norway’s continued commitment to the committee underscores its long-standing dedication to the region’s stability.
A spokesperson for the Norwegian Foreign Ministry affirmed the country’s firm stance against joining the Board of Peace, signaling a preference for pursuing its own established avenues for international engagement.
