According to reports, President Donald Trump called Norway’s Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg last month, taking advantage of the chance to directly pitch himself for the Nobel Peace Prize in addition to discussing the contentious topic of tariffs. The unusual combination of hardball trade discourse and personal ambition in the conversation, as reported by Norwegian business daily Dagens N ringsliv, has drawn interest from all over the world.
Stoltenberg received the unexpected call while strolling down an Oslo street, according to Reuters. Trump abruptly started a conversation about trade and tariffs before moving on to a more intimate request. He informed the finance minister that he was interested in receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, which Norway had given to four U.S. presidents in the past. Trump has always been fascinated by the honor and feels that his accomplishments in international affairs have merited it.
Breaking: In a fit of craziness, Trump, who is always discussing and blogging about the Nobel Peace Prize and boasting about his achievements, asserted that he is not vying for the award.
After that, they went ahead and politick for it.Once more.tweet.com/qpYizONUUv
August 8, 2025, Really American (@ReallyAmerican1)
In remarks to Reuters, Stoltenberg confirmed the contact, stating that the topic of talk was tariffs and economic cooperation in advance of Trump’s scheduled meeting with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr St atter. Stoltenberg said, “I will not go into further detail about the content of the conversation,” in response to questions regarding the details of the Nobel speech. However, he pointed out that top U.S. officials were also on the line, including U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
The exchange’s timing is noteworthy. The White House matched the amount already imposed on the European Union on July 31 by announcing a 15 percent duty on Norwegian products. This week, Stoltenberg said that conversations are still going on between the United States and Norway on the issue. Trump’s choice to link trade tensions—even in a roundabout way—with his pursuit of the Nobel Prize has caused certain diplomatic circles to take notice.
Is it true that Trump desired the Nobel Peace Prize? If he captures Putin when he lands in Alaska, he might receive it.pic.twitter.com/TzVxmKY8pz
August 13, 2025, Robert van der Noordaa (@g900ap)
Trump and Stoltenberg have already discussed the Nobel Peace Prize. According to the Norwegian tabloid, the subject has also come up in earlier discussions. Trump has frequently claimed that his foreign policy performance is worthy of praise, frequently drawing comparisons to Barack Obama, who took home the award in 2009, his first year in office. Trump has publicly questioned why Obama was given the award, arguing that the accomplishments of his own government are much more worthy.
In recent years, Trump has been nominated for the Nobel Prize by a number of nations, including Israel, Pakistan, and Cambodia, who point to his participation in mediating ceasefires or peace deals. When discussing his legacy on the international scene, Trump frequently brings up the fact that he has claimed credit for averting up to five conflicts.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee, a five-member panel chosen by the Norwegian parliament in accordance with Alfred Nobel’s wishes, bestows the Nobel Peace Prize. Only one laureate is selected annually out of hundreds of nominees. Every October, the announcement is made in Oslo, and until then, the procedure is carried out in complete secrecy.
The prize is still an unmet goal for Trump, who seems willing to pursue it in addition to his policy agenda. His already unorthodox approach to diplomacy takes a drastic turn when he combines personal lobbying with trade discussions in a single phone conversation.
In the upcoming months, it will be determined if the committee believes his efforts merit the honor. However, as of right now, the purported exchange between Trump and Stoltenberg is a startling illustration of political play encroaching on personal ambition.
