"Indelible Stain" on Norway: Trump Slams Nobel Peace Prize Pick Navi Pillay as "Disgraceful"

US President Donald Trump has lashed out at Norway after the Nobel Committee awarded the 2026 Peace Prize to Navi Pillay, calling the decision "disgraceful" and saying it leaves an "indelible stain" on the country. He made the remarks on Friday, October 9, at a campaign rally in Syracuse, New York, according to Reuters.

Trump spoke hours after the prize announcement. He described Pillay, a former International Criminal Court judge, as a "mystery person" and said nobody had heard of her. He called the decision embarrassing and said Norway and the people behind it would not be forgotten. He also described the Nobel Peace Prize as discredited and blamed what he called a handful of radical ideologues.

Trump listed conflicts he claims to have helped resolve or prevent, including tensions involving the two Koreas, Japan and North Korea, and China and Taiwan. Reuters noted he provided no evidence for these claims. Reports say he also argued the prize should have gone to the United States, represented by him as president.

Pillay is a former International Criminal Court judge and former UN human rights chief. Reuters notes she oversaw a UN report that concluded Israel committed genocide in Gaza, a finding Israel has rejected. Israel's criticism of the laureate has been reported as part of its wider tense relationship with UN bodies.

Trump has voiced disappointment about missing the prize in each year of his presidency. In January 2026, Al Jazeera reported he sent a message to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre saying he no longer felt an obligation to think purely of peace. Støre responded that the prize is awarded by an independent Nobel Committee, not the Norwegian government. The Nobel Institute has also stated that a Peace Prize cannot be transferred or shared once awarded.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee is appointed by Norway's parliament but operates independently of the government, which is why Norwegian leaders have repeatedly said they have no say in the choice of laureate.

This story is based on reports from Reuters, Al Jazeera and other outlets as of October 10, 2026, and may be updated.