Is Trump finally the peacemaker he promised, or just after the prize?

"My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier. That’s what I want to be: a peacemaker and a unifier."

On Jan. 20, 2025, Donald Trump was inaugurated once more into the US presidency. During his inaugural address, Trump promised to fulfill his goal to be a "peacemaker and unifier." For many, the words rang hollow—another grand Trumpian performance, dripping with irony. After all, this was the same man whose first term was marked by erratic foreign policy, divisive rhetoric, and saber-rattling nationalism.

But in recent weeks, something has shifted. Trump has begun to make surprisingly bold overtures toward global diplomacy. He is directly brokering a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. He is negotiating an agreement between "Israel" and Hamas and arranged the release of "Israeli"-American captive Edan Alexander. He offered to mediate the abrupt aggression between India and Pakistan. He lifted all sanctions on Syria. And in a move few expected, he is pushing for a nuclear peace deal with Iran.

On the surface, it’s a dramatic—and unexpected—pivot. And one could be forgiven for wondering: are we finally seeing the “peacemaker” Trump promised to become? Or is this something else entirely?

- A long-running obsession -

Behind the scenes, a different theory is gaining traction: that Trump’s sudden embrace of diplomacy is driven less by global goodwill and more by the gleam of a certain golden medal. For years, Trump has harbored a well-known obsession with the Nobel Peace Prize.

He had his eye on the prize for years. Trump has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize multiple times by right-wing politicians and allies abroad. In 2020, Norwegian far-right MP Christian Tybring-Gjedde put Trump's name forward for efforts toward Korean reconciliation, while Swedish MP Magnus Jacobsson nominated him for facilitating a Serbia-Kosovo deal. In 2021, Swedish nationalist Laura Huhtasaari and a group of Australian lawmakers backed him for the Abraham Accords. In 2023, New York Republican Rep. Claudia Tenney cited his “historic” Middle East policies in another nomination. Despite the flurry of endorsements, the prize has repeatedly gone elsewhere.

This year, Donald Trump has been nominated not once but twice for the Nobel Peace Prize. Anat Alon-Beck, an "Israeli"-born professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, submitted a nomination letter just before the Jan. 31 deadline, praising Trump’s efforts in the Middle East.

"By securing the release of hostages, standing firm against antisemitism, and fostering historic agreements that bring stability to the world's most volatile regions, he has once again demonstrated why he is a deserving recipient," Alon-Beck wrote.

Separately, Oleksandr Merezhko, a senior Ukrainian lawmaker and chairman of the parliament’s foreign affairs committee, also nominated Trump. Despite the US President's past praise of Putin and wavering support for Ukraine, Merezhko expressed hope that Trump could help broker a peace deal based on international law and Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

- Eyes green with envy -

He has even, on multiple occasions, belittled former US President Barack Obama's Nobel Prize win. 

“When Barack Hussein Obama got nominated, he didn’t know why he was nominated,” he said on one occasion. “It was like right at the very beginning. He didn’t do anything. He did nothing. And he got nominated."

During another event, he stated, “Can you believe it? [Obama] won the Nobel Peace Prize. They probably will never give it to me, even what I’m doing in Korea, and in Idlib Province and all of these places. They probably will never give it to me. You know why? Because they don’t want to.”

He has frequently argued that his own efforts were far more deserving. The idea that Trump views Oslo’s prize as the ultimate validation of his legacy is not far-fetched. In fact, it may explain a lot.

Seen through this lens, Trump’s peace offensive begins to look less like statesmanship and more like strategy. If he can land a ceasefire in Gaza, mediate in Ukraine, and throw around words like “unity” and “stability” on the international stage, then perhaps—just perhaps—he can finally win the recognition he believes he has long been denied.

- Weighing Trump's actions -

But the contradictions are glaring. While claiming to seek peace in Gaza, Trump has voiced support for the mass displacement of Gazans, suggesting they be relocated elsewhere to “solve” the problem. He’s even expressed interest in owning or redeveloping Gaza, calling it “incredible real estate” and “oceanfront property," even offering to turn Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East." Meanwhile, he continues to pledge unwavering US support to "Israel", supplying weapons and funding even as civilian casualties in Gaza climb. Can someone truly be a “peacemaker” while fueling one side of a war?

Additionally, Trump’s self-declared transformation into a global “peacemaker” is hard to take seriously when he continues to entertain imperial ambitions—like annexing Greenland. Despite global outrage, Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of acquiring the autonomous Danish territory, even refusing to rule out military force to do so.

“We need Greenland very badly,” he said, citing vague notions of international security and downplaying the island’s sovereignty. The contradiction is glaring: a leader who claims to champion unity and diplomacy, yet openly contemplates seizing land from a fellow NATO ally.

At home, his peace brand is also being questioned. Trump’s administration has begun arbitrarily deporting and incarcerating US citizens and residents. Reports indicate that some of these individuals are being forcibly relocated to El Salvador’s infamous CECOT mega-prison, a facility known for its harsh conditions and mass incarceration tactics. Civil liberties organizations are already sounding alarms, calling it a purge disguised as patriotism.

Additionally, many have been arguing that Trump’s second presidency is showing unmistakable signs of authoritarian creep—nudging the country closer to the edges of fascism. His administration has launched aggressive campaigns targeting anyone who questions his authority, labeling dissenters as enemies of the state. Journalists, academics, and activists have faced harassment, questioning, detention, and even deportation, with reports confirming that some have been forcibly relocated to detention centers abroad. Trump has also begun pulling federal funding from universities that oppose his policies or allow anti-government demonstrations, effectively punishing institutions for intellectual resistance.

This dissonance is not lost on global observers—or on those most affected by the conflicts he is attempting to “solve.” Trump’s critics argue that his diplomacy is transactional at best and theatrical at worst. Yet others suggest that even if his motives are self-serving, if he somehow brings about real diplomatic progress, the outcomes may matter more than the intentions.

Ultimately, whether Trump succeeds in reshaping his legacy—or winning the Nobel he has long coveted—remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: Trump is playing a new role now, and he’s playing it with purpose. Not just as president. Not just as dealmaker. But as a man who wants history—and Oslo—to remember him as something else entirely.

A peacemaker.