In a rare twist, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton just admitted that President Donald Trump could earn the Nobel Peace Prize — if he pulls off a diplomatic victory that even she calls “extremely challenging.”
Speaking on the Raging Moderates podcast ahead of Trump’s high-stakes meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, Clinton surprised many by openly acknowledging Trump’s fixation on the award. “If President Trump were the architect of [a peace deal], I’d nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize,” she said.
Clinton laid out her vision for what that would take: a ceasefire in Ukraine, no territorial concessions to Russia, and an eventual withdrawal of Russian forces from seized territory. “That would demonstrate good faith efforts… not to threaten European security,” she remarked, making it clear she’s no fan of the meeting but still sees an opening for Trump to deliver.
The former 2016 Democratic nominee’s remarks come as Trump himself has been vocal about wanting the prize, reportedly telling Norway’s Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg last month that it’s a goal of his. Some nations, including Israel, have already put his name forward for consideration.
Trump, confident as ever, says he believes Putin will agree to peace despite years of stalemate. “I think President Putin will make peace,” Trump declared Thursday. If Clinton’s unexpected offer is anything to go by, even his fiercest political rivals recognize that if anyone could pull it off, it might just be Trump.
And if he does, the image of Hillary Clinton nominating Donald J. Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize could go down as one of the most ironic moments in political history.
