President Donald Trump was nominated for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in the Middle East by an anti-immigrant Norwegian lawmaker.
According to a statement posted on the website of the White House, the nomination of Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize stems from “his leadership in brokering the Abraham Accords, bringing about the full normalization of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and marking a major step toward a more peaceful Middle East.”
The historic diplomatic event between Israel and the United Arab Emirates is regarded a critical step toward peace in the Middle East, the website said.
“This nomination comes amid widespread international support for the peace accords and optimism that the region finally may be turning a corner. By uniting two of America’s closest partners in the region—something many said could not be done—this agreement will create a more peaceful, secure, and prosperous Middle East,” it added.
Christian Tybring-Gjedde, a member of the Norwegian parliament for the populist Progress Party, nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize believes that Trump is qualified for a Nobel Peace Prize.
"No matter how Trump acts at home and what he says at press conferences, he has absolutely a chance at getting the Nobel Peace Prize," Tybring-Gjedde said during an interview with The Associated Press. He added that "Donald Trump meets the criteria."
According to the White House statement, the peace deal “a testament to the bold diplomacy and vision of President Trump, and he is honored to be considered by the Nobel Committee. President Trump will host the Israeli and Emirati delegations for a signing ceremony of the Abraham Accords on September 15 at the White House.”
Nominations
Any lawmaker under a national legislature can nominate an individual for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Tybring-Gjedde has been a member of the Storting, the Norwegian parliament, since 2005.
Nominations can be presented by a group of people and organizations, including heads of state, national lawmakers, and certain international institutions. The committee reported 318 nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize for 2020. Their records show that there are 211 individuals and 107 organizations.
Nominations are submitted to the Norwegian Nobel Committee by February 1, meaning the deadline for the nomination has passed.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee does not give public statements about nominees. Under its policy, the information should be confidential for 50 years.
The lawmaker would usually demand that immigrants adjust to Norwegian society. He described Muslim headscarves an "Islamic uniform" and compared them to robes donned by members of the Ku Klux Klan.
In 2006, Tybring-Gjedde nominated Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Dutch-American activist, writer and politician critical of Islam, for the Nobel Peace Prize.
The process of evaluating candidates and awarding the Nobel Peace Prize is held in Norway, in contrast to the other Nobel Prizes, which are given in neighboring Sweden.
Meanwhile, White House senior adviser Jared Kushner said Wednesday that Trump was “very, very honored” for his Nobel Peace Prize nomination.
“President Trump was very, very honored to be nominated this morning for the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in bringing the Middle East closer together and the peace deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates,” Kushner, who is also Trump’s son-in-law, told reporters.
“Every day we’re seeing new and new announcements, which is showing the progress that this peace is bringing to the Middle East,” Kushner said. “And obviously, this morning, they announced that President Trump has been formally nominated for the Nobel Prize. And I think that it really is just a tremendous thing.
“And all of America’s allies feel much closer to America, and now they’re becoming closer to each other and breaking barriers that people thought previously were not breakable. So it really is a very hopeful time in the Middle East,” Trump’s son-in-law added.
