President unlikely to win peace prize this time, observers say

Trump’s frequent lobbying for Nobel award is one factor working against him.

- BY MARK LEWIS

President Trump’s bid to win the Nobel Peace Prize has drawn added attention to the annual guessing game over who its next laureate will be.

Longtime Nobel watchers say Trump's prospects remain remote despite a flurry of high-profile nominations and some notable foreign policy interventions for which he has taken personal credit.

Experts say the Norwegian Nobel Committee typically focuses on the durability of peace, the promotion of international fraternity and the quiet work of institutions that strengthen those goals. Trump’s own record might even work against him, they said, citing his apparent disdain for multilateral institutions and his disregard for global climate change concerns.

Still, the U.S. leader has repeatedly sought the Nobel spotlight since his first term, most recently telling United Nations delegates late last month “everyone says that I should get the Nobel Peace Prize.”

A person cannot nominate themself.

Public lobbying but a private decision

Trump's boasts and previous high-profile nominations make him the blockbuster name on the list of bookmakers’ favorites. But it's unclear whether his name comes up in conversation when the five-member Nobel committee, appointed by Norway's parliament, meets behind closed doors.