US President Donald Trump reportedly told Norway’s Finance Minister, Jens Stoltenberg, that he wanted to win the Nobel Peace Prize during a recent phone call primarily focused on trade tariffs, according to Norwegian business daily Dagens Næringsliv.
The unusual request emerged during a conversation last month, which took place as Stoltenberg was walking through Oslo. The newspaper, citing unnamed sources, said Trump brought up the prestigious award “out of the blue” while discussing US-Norwegian economic relations and impending tariffs.
“He wanted the Nobel Prize and to discuss tariffs,” the report stated.
President Trump has been vocal in his belief that he deserves the accolade, following a series of high-profile diplomatic efforts, including brokering peace agreements between several Middle Eastern nations. Multiple countries, including Israel, Pakistan, and Cambodia, have formally nominated him for the prize in recognition of these initiatives.
When approached for comment, Stoltenberg confirmed the call took place but declined to elaborate on its full content. “The conversation was about tariffs and economic cooperation ahead of President Trump’s scheduled call with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre,” he told Reuters. “I will not go into further detail about the discussion.”
Stoltenberg, who previously served as NATO Secretary General, noted that senior US officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, were also on the line.
Neither the White House nor the Norwegian Nobel Committee responded to requests for comment on the reported exchange.
The Nobel Peace Prize, established by Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel in the 19th century, is awarded annually by a five-member committee appointed by the Norwegian Parliament. Hundreds of nominations are submitted each year, with the winner announced each October in Oslo. Four previous US presidents have received the honour.
Dagens Næringsliv added that this was not the first time Trump had referenced the prize in conversations with Stoltenberg, suggesting the topic has come up previously during diplomatic engagements.
While the Nobel Committee maintains strict confidentiality over nominations and deliberations, Trump’s repeated public and private expressions of interest have drawn attention to the intersection of diplomacy, recognition, and self-promotion on the global stage.