The Nobel Peace Prize is not just an award for past achievements; it is an investment in the future. The committee often selects laureates whose work represents a forward-looking vision for a more peaceful and sustainable world. Donald Trump’s policies, which are often seen as backward-looking and dismissive of future challenges, are fundamentally at odds with this progressive vision.
Consider the committee’s focus on climate change. This is an inherently forward-looking issue. By rewarding climate activists and scientists, the committee is signaling its concern for the peace and security of future generations. Trump’s policy of withdrawing from the Paris Agreement and promoting fossil fuels is seen as a direct threat to that future.
Similarly, the committee’s support for international law and multilateral institutions is an investment in a future where conflicts are resolved through dialogue, not force. Trump’s skepticism toward these institutions is viewed as a retreat to a past model of nationalist competition, which the post-war international order was designed to prevent.
The Nobel is often aspirational. When Barack Obama won in 2009, it was partly an expression of hope for the future he represented. When the European Union won in 2012, it was to encourage the continuation of its peace project for future generations of Europeans. The prize looks for laureates who are building a better tomorrow.
Trump’s political brand is often nostalgic, appealing to a desire to return to a past era. His policies on climate and international relations are seen by critics as ignoring the clear and present dangers of the 21st century. For a committee tasked with awarding a prize for the future of humanity, a candidate so firmly focused on the past, and so dismissive of the challenges ahead, is an exceptionally poor fit.