Will Trump Ever Get His Nobel Moment?

The US President wants his place among the Nobel Peace Prize laureates, but the odds may not be in his favor — yet.

- Tan Dawn Wei

It has often been said that US President Donald Trump has two great loves: himself, and the idea of himself. Both explain why he so badly wants a Nobel Peace Prize. For years, the American businessman-turned-leader has hinted, tweeted, and blatantly declared that the Norwegian Nobel Committee should honor him with the most famous medal for significant contributions to a conflict-free world.

He has ramped up his campaign lately, goading allies and world leaders seeking to win favor with him to get behind the cause.

Pakistan was the first to announce, on June 20, that it would nominate Mr. Trump for his "decisive diplomatic intervention and pivotal leadership" in a ceasefire — a claim disputed by India — after India and Pakistan engaged in a brief armed conflict in May.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu followed suit, formally nominating him in July and asserting the US President was "forging peace as we speak, in one country, in one region after the other".

Then came Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, who on Aug 7 said he had nominated Mr. Trump after the US President intervened and brought a stop to a five-day clash between Cambodia and Thailand in July along their disputed border.

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Rwanda, and Gabon have all publicly signaled their support for Mr. Trump's Nobel bid.

President Trump was even said to have called Norway's Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg to lobby for himself, Norwegian newspaper Dagens Naeringsliv reported in August.

The US leader says he deserves the accolade because he has stopped at least seven wars — 10 if you count "pre-wars" — while declaring that "nobody's done in history what I've done".

Yet, while demanding recognition, he has simultaneously and pre-emptively dismissed the very people whose recognition he seeks by repeatedly saying: "I deserve it, but they will never give it to me."