Oslo: The Norwegian Nobel Committee has reaffirmed its independence despite growing pressure from US President Donald Trump, who has publicly expressed his desire to win the Nobel Peace Prize ahead of the October 10 announcement.

Committee secretary Kristian Berg Harpviken told AFP that while there has been “a lot of media attention for particular candidates,” the committee’s deliberations remain unaffected. “The committee considers each nomination on its own merits,” he said, underscoring that political pressure does not influence the process.

Trump’s Push for Recognition

Since returning to the White House in January, the 79-year-old president has argued that he “deserves the prize” for his efforts to promote peace in Gaza and Ukraine. He has frequently compared himself to Barack Obama, who received the award in 2009, a decision that surprised many at the time.

Trump has claimed he was nominated by foreign leaders, but Nobel rules require nominations to be submitted by January 31, raising questions about whether his name is even valid for this year’s list.

Prize Process and Precedents

The Nobel Committee received 338 nominations this year from thousands of qualified nominators, but the names remain confidential for 50 years. Harpviken emphasized that being nominated is not the main achievement — “to be a winner is the real achievement,” he said.

The committee has a history of resisting outside pressure, recalling its 2010 decision to award the prize to Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, which severely strained Norway-China relations at the time.

Analysts: Trump’s Chances Remain Low

Experts suggest Trump’s chances are slim, citing his “America First” policy as contrary to the spirit of the award. Three Nobel historians recently ruled him out, pointing to his praise of Vladimir Putin and controversial stance on the Ukraine war. “The Nobel Committee would have to be out of its mind to award Trump the prize,” they wrote.