On October 10, 2025, the world watched as the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, a figure celebrated for her relentless commitment to democratic rights in Venezuela. The decision, announced by the Nobel Committee, came amid global anticipation and a high-profile campaign by U.S. President Donald Trump, who had openly sought the honor for himself after brokering a new peace deal in the Middle East. Instead, the spotlight shifted to Machado, whose victory has since sparked a cascade of reactions from political leaders, activists, and celebrities—including Grammy-winning singer John Legend, who offered a provocative take on the path to peace and the meaning of the prize.
The Nobel Peace Prize, established in 1901, recognizes individuals and organizations that have made extraordinary contributions to peace, democracy, and human rights. Past laureates include Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Malala Yousafzai. This year, the committee cited Machado’s “tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.” In a statement released on X (formerly Twitter), the committee added, “María Corina Machado has shown that the tools of democracy are also the tools of peace. She embodies the hope of a different future, one where the fundamental rights of citizens are protected and their voices are heard. In this future, people will finally be free to live in peace.”
Machado herself responded to the honor with humility and a nod to her supporters both at home and abroad. “This recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans is a boost to conclude our task: to conquer Freedom. I dedicate this prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and to President Trump for his decisive support of our cause!” she wrote, underscoring the international dimension of her campaign for democracy.
President Trump, meanwhile, did not hide his disappointment at being passed over for the prize. According to Newsweek, Trump told reporters that Machado had called him personally to say, “I’m accepting this in honor of you, because you really deserved it.” He added, “A very nice thing to do. I didn’t, I didn’t say, ‘Then give it to me,’ though I think she might have. She was very nice. I’ve been helping her along the way. They need a lot of help in Venezuela, it’s a basic disaster.” Trump’s comments reflected both his ongoing interest in the Nobel and his desire to be recognized for his diplomatic efforts, particularly in the Middle East.
The White House, for its part, issued a sharply worded statement through spokesperson Stephen Cheung, who asserted, “The Nobel Committee proved they place politics over peace. [Trump will] continue making peace deals, ending wars, and saving lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will.” The statement echoed the sentiment among Trump’s supporters that the former president’s efforts—especially his role in brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas—were deserving of international recognition.
Indeed, Trump’s recent diplomatic activity has drawn attention. On October 12, 2025, he embarked on visits to Israel and Egypt to commemorate the new ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, with a major address scheduled in Israel on October 13. The ceasefire followed a period of intense violence, including the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent devastating response in Gaza. As John Legend noted in his Instagram video, “We all want to see peace in Gaza, in Israel, in the West Bank. And President Trump has been instrumental in bringing about this new peace deal. Let’s all pray that this deal is actually lasting, that it’s long term, the people of Gaza have had their lives and their communities destroyed for the past two years.”
Yet, if Trump thought his role in the Middle East would secure him the Nobel, he was mistaken. The committee’s decision reignited a longstanding debate about the criteria for the prize and the intersection of politics and peacemaking. Trump himself expressed frustration, even referencing former President Barack Obama’s 2009 Nobel Peace Prize, saying, “They gave it to Obama for doing absolutely nothing but destroying our country.”
Enter John Legend, the acclaimed singer-songwriter who has performed at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony and is no stranger to political activism. On October 11, Legend posted a six-minute video to Instagram, offering what he called a kind-of-sarcastic, kind-of-encouraging message to President Trump. “Trump for Peace Prize 2026!” he wrote, but with a catch. In the video, Legend laid out a series of conditions he believes Trump would need to meet to be a serious contender for the Nobel in the future.
“He’d have to stop all this authoritarian dictator sht, all the fascist sht, all the inhumane sh*t he’s been trying to do,” Legend said bluntly. He continued, “The so-called ‘peace president,’ who’s ending wars around the world, would also have to stop declaring war on the American people, stop sending the military into our cities simply because they’re run by Democrats. Stop sending masked, unaccountable ICE agents to torment immigrant communities. Stop ordering the prosecution of his political opponents on flimsy charges.”
Legend’s critique extended to Trump’s domestic policies, including the use of the National Guard in American cities and ongoing ICE raids, especially in places like Chicago. He argued that a true peacemaker would need to “stop bombing boats in the Caribbean, stop executing people without proving that they’ve done anything wrong. Maybe he’d have to refund USAID and restore humanitarian aid. Stop starving the most impoverished and vulnerable people around the world.”
Despite his sharp criticism, Legend’s message was ultimately one of conditional encouragement, drawing on his experience as a parent: “As a parent, I’ve learned that kids respond really well to positive reinforcement. So Donald, we’ve tried negative reinforcement, impeachment, indictments, voting you out of office. So let’s try positive. Let’s promise that if you get it together, you change your awful behavior, you’re going to get that peace prize that you so so so badly desire, and I’ll be so proud of you.”
Legend’s video struck a chord with many, sparking debate across social media and among political commentators. Some saw his approach as a clever use of “positive reinforcement,” while others questioned whether Trump could—or would—ever meet the conditions Legend set forth. The singer’s remarks also highlighted the broader question of what it truly means to work for peace: Is it enough to broker international deals, or must a leader also embody democratic values and protect human rights at home?
As nominations for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize had closed just days after Trump began his second term, the window for consideration was always narrow. According to Newsweek, only three sitting U.S. presidents have ever received the Nobel: Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Barack Obama. Trump’s quest for the honor, and the reactions it has provoked, reveal much about the complexities of modern peacemaking—and the enduring allure of the world’s most prestigious peace award.
For now, María Corina Machado’s victory stands as a testament to the power of democratic struggle, while John Legend’s challenge to Trump lingers as both a critique and a call for transformation. The Nobel Peace Prize, it seems, remains as much about the journey as the destination.
