"Peace" is something Donald Trump would trademark if he could. The president is putting more effort into his campaign to win Oslo's support than he ever did to win Wisconsin's votes, ahead of the Nobel Peace Prize announcement on October 10.
His most recent proposal? He says his "20 point Gaza peace plan" may put an end to one of the most unsolvable problems in the world and get him the most coveted award not created in Mar a Lago."The greatest peace deal of all time," he says. It is improbable that the Nobel Committee will concur.
Trump's fixation on the Nobel Prize is not new. Since the Abraham Accords, he has been calling for it, saying that Barack Obama should receive at least two for "saving the Middle East" if he received one for "showing up."
However, his advocacy has taken a diplomatic turn this year. "Everyone says I should get the Nobel Peace Prize," he said at the UN.
His ambassador Steve Witkoff has been encouraging his European counterparts behind closed doors, Marco Rubio has been reminding allies, and Albert Bourla of Pfizer has even weighed in, calling Operation Warp Speed worthy of a Nobel Prize.
The MAGA apparatus as a whole has become a public relations firm promoting peace, which Trump has, of course, defined.
Trump's move in Gaza was not launched at random. He announced a 20 point plan days prior to the Nobel announcement, which purports to ensure hostage release, reconstruction, and a peace.
Although Hamas promised to release all of the prisoners, they emphasized that the other ones "require negotiation" a diplomatic way of saying "we'll see after the cameras leave."
That is sufficient for Trump to portray it as a historic development. It's a more difficult decision for the Nobel Committee, which values stability above press conferences.
The Norwegians are in a difficult situation. US Republicans were incensed when their $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund recently sold off Israeli companies.
Trump has already imposed 15% taxes on Norwegian imports, and if ignored, the situation could quickly worsen.
