US President Donald Trump has hit out at Norway after being overlooked for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, describing the decision as an ‘indelible stain’ on the country while dismissing South African laureate Navi Pillay as a ‘mystery person’, Cape {town} Etc reports.
However, while Trump made his disappointment clear in a fiery speech and a series of social media posts, Pillay responded with humour, joking that she might share her prestigious award with the president if her audience applauded a little louder.
Trump says Norway will not be forgotten
Speaking at a rally in Syracuse, New York, on Friday evening, Trump reportedly criticised the Nobel Committee’s decision and argued that he deserved the recognition.
‘We will not forget, Norway, that you didn’t give this prize.’
– Donald Trump
Trump later repeated his complaints on Truth Social, claiming he should have received eight Nobel Peace Prizes because he had settled eight wars. He also suggested he was close to resolving two further conflicts involving Iran and Russia’s war against Ukraine.
However, some of the conflicts Trump has claimed credit for settling have continued, while others were brought to an end largely through the efforts of other parties.
@cnnPresident Donald Trump said the Nobel Peace Prize is “forever discredited” after the 2026 honor was awarded to human rights pioneer Navi Pillay, speaking to supporters at a rally in Syracuse, New York.♬ original sound – CNN
Trump has openly pursued the Nobel Peace Prize for years, regularly highlighting what he considers his achievements in international diplomacy.
Last year, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, the Nobel laureate at the time, symbolically handed her medal to Trump in recognition of his support for her country’s political struggle.
The gesture did not transfer the award. The Nobel Committee has made clear that a prize cannot be revoked, shared or transferred to someone else.
Pillay responds with a joke at Trump’s expense
Pillay, a former United Nations human rights chief, appeared to take the controversy in her stride when she addressed an audience at a legal and academic conference in Nuremberg, Germany.
As she entered to applause, the South African jurist reportedly delivered a pointed joke that appeared to reference Trump’s disappointment.
‘If you clap a little bit more, I may share this prize with Trump.’
– Navi Pillay
The moment was captured in footage shared by Amnesty International secretary-general Agnes Callamard. Pillay received the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her contribution to efforts to ensure that war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide are prosecuted.
@cnn The Nobel Peace Prize has gone to human rights pioneer Navi Pillay. The South African was integral to the anti-apartheid movement, served as a judge on the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and recently led the UN commission that concluded Israel committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. #nobelprize ♬ original sound – CNN
Nobel Committee chair Jørgen Watne Frydnes said her work was particularly significant at a time when international law and the institutions responsible for upholding it face growing pressure.
Frydnes also emphasised that the Norwegian Nobel Committee operates independently of Norway’s government and follows the criteria laid down in Alfred Nobel’s will.
A landmark moment for South African legal history
Pillay’s achievement carries particular significance for South Africa, where her legal career began against the backdrop of apartheid.
Born in Durban, she defended Nelson Mandela and other anti-apartheid activists before going on to serve as a judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, which prosecuted those responsible for atrocities during the 1994 genocide.
She later chaired a UN commission of inquiry that concluded Israel was committing genocide in Gaza, a finding Israel denies. The commission’s conclusions should not be confused with a formal position adopted by the United Nations as a whole.
Her Nobel recognition places decades of work on international justice at the centre of a global conversation about accountability and the rule of law.
While Trump’s reaction has added controversy to the announcement, Pillay’s award recognises a career dedicated to ensuring that powerful individuals and institutions can be held accountable under international law.
The Nobel Peace Prize ceremony is scheduled for 10 December in Oslo, where Pillay is due to receive her medal, diploma and $1.2 million in prize money.
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