Trump blames Norway for ‘indelible stain’ after Nobel peace prize goes to Navi Pillay
At a Syracuse rally, Trump said the Nobel Committee’s choice tarnished Norway and listed wars he says he settled.
By Felo News Desk · Published
President Donald Trump told a rally in Syracuse, New York, that the Norwegian Nobel Committee’s decision to award the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize to South African lawyer Navi Pillay left “an indelible stain on the country of Norway,” according to NBC News, the Guardian and the New York Post.
What happened
On Friday, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced that the peace prize would be awarded to Navi Pillay, an 85‑year‑old former UN rights chief who led a panel that concluded Israel committed genocide in Gaza. At the same time, Trump was speaking at a Republican rally in Syracuse to boost New York candidates. He used the platform to denounce the committee’s choice, repeating the phrase “indelible stain on the country of Norway” and asserting that the United States, represented by him, should have received the prize.
What the reports add
NBC News reported that Trump listed a series of accomplishments he believes merit a peace‑prize, including “efforts to end or prevent conflicts in Africa and Asia” and “saving more lives than anyone in history.” The Guardian added that Trump claimed the United States started a war with Iran in 2026 and said the Nobel prize had been “forever discredited by a handful of radical ideologues.” The New York Post noted Trump’s claim that he deserves eight Nobel medals and that he described Pillay as a “mystery woman” he had never heard of.
What was said
Trump told the crowd, “The United States of America, represented by me as your president, should have received the Nobel Peace Prize, but didn’t. And this is an indelible stain on the country of Norway,” as reported by the Guardian. He also said, “The Nobel peace prize has been forever discredited by a handful of radical ideologues who are anti‑democracy and really enemies of civilization,” and added, “I’m about to settle or win two more: Iran and Russia‑Ukraine.” NBC News quoted him saying, “I’ve never heard of the person,” referring to Pillay, “but congratulations, anyway.” The New York Post recorded his remark, “I never heard of this particular person, but congratulations anyway,” and his claim that he deserves eight medals.
How it came about
The controversy follows the Nobel Committee’s earlier nomination process, which Felo News covered on October 2, noting that the International Space Station and a list of individual candidates—including Donald Trump—were among 287 nominations. On October 9, Felo reported Pillay’s reaction to Trump’s criticism, highlighting her joking comment about sharing the prize with him. The current rally speech therefore builds on a week‑long public spat between Trump and the laureate, amplified by Trump’s repost of a Truth Social message from his lawyer David Schoen that attacked Pillay.
Key facts
- Trump said the Nobel Committee’s decision left an indelible stain on Norway (nbcnews.com)
- The 2026 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Navi Pillay (theguardian.com)
- Trump claimed the United States should have received the prize (nypost.com)
Where accounts differ
- Trump’s description of a war with Iran in 2026: Trump said he started a war with Iran in 2026 (theguardian.com); Trump listed conflicts he settled but did not specifically mention starting a war with Iran (nbcnews.com)
Background
Trump’s criticism follows his earlier social‑media attack on Pillay after her Nobel win, which Felo covered on <a href="/news/navi-pillay-nobel-joke-trump-reaction">Oct 9</a>.
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 — Nobel Committee received 287 nominations, including Trump as a contender
- 2026-10-09 — Navi Pillay awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
- 2026-10-10 — Trump delivers rally speech in Syracuse criticizing Norway
Sources
- [1] nbcnews.com
- [2] theguardian.com
- [3] nypost.com
