The Guardian reported that the Nobel Peace Prize, or any prize, medal, or gold star, has never cast such a shadow before on an American president and his foreign policy.

According to the newspaper, since Donald Trump’s return to the White House, his campaign to influence the Peace Research Institute in Oslo, Norway, has not been modest by any means, reaching its peak in the hours just before the Nobel Committee announced the winner.

As news spread of a potential peace agreement to end the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, Trump’s allies rushed to the media in a last attempt to secure the prize for him, which he has long publicly desired.

On Thursday morning, Republican Congressman Brian Mast from Florida said on Fox News: “Everyone is talking about: Will he get the Nobel Peace Prize? Those academics and elites sitting in Norway, the committee that decides the prize, they should give President Trump the Nobel Peace Prize.”

He added: “I’m not sure the committee in Norway believes in peace through strength… they believe in peace through flattery.”

Afterwards, Elon Levy, former spokesperson for the Israeli government, said: “There is very little Israelis agree on, but there is one consensus this morning: President Donald Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize.”

Minutes later, Trump posted a tweet on his platform Truth Social thanking Mast and Levy by name.

According to the newspaper, although Trump publicly downplayed his chances of winning the prize, he contacted Norwegian Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg in Oslo this summer, saying he wanted to discuss the “Nobel Peace Prize… and tariffs.”

Trump mentioned the prize repeatedly, often claiming he ended six or seven wars since returning to the White House.

During last year’s campaign, he said: “If my name was Obama, I would have been given the Nobel Prize within ten seconds.”

The newspaper noted that Trump’s desire for the prize has become a frequent subject of ridicule among foreign diplomats, especially during weekly breakfast meetings held by European ambassadors in Washington to discuss ways to maintain his support for Ukraine.

A senior European diplomat based in Washington said: “Whenever he talks about ending seven wars, he is really sending a message: Give me the Nobel Prize.”

The prize was considered a main motivation behind Trump’s efforts to mediate in Ukraine, leading him to hold a rare summit with Vladimir Putin in Alaska. But Putin remained indifferent, and Trump quickly lost interest in ending the war.

The diplomat explained: “Once he realized it was very difficult, we went back again to Gaza.”

Trump’s new peace initiative launched during last month’s United Nations General Assembly, where he met with Arab leaders, then agreed on a 20-point peace plan announced at a White House summit with Benjamin Netanyahu in late September.

Officials reiterated that the agreement would be ready by Friday, the same day the Nobel Committee announces its selection.

Former negotiator Doron Hadar told The Washington Post on Thursday: “The announcement on Friday morning sets a clear timeline. Everyone is aware of this schedule, so I believe that by Thursday evening, there will be an official announcement that the parties have reached agreements.”

According to AFP, the Norwegian Nobel Committee held its final meeting on Monday, two days before Trump announced the first phase of the peace agreement on Truth Social.

Despite the clear ambition behind Trump’s efforts, even war critics welcomed the agreement. Gershon Baskin, an Israeli peace activist and hostage negotiation expert, wrote: “This morning definitely deserves celebration. The war is ending. The killing and destruction will stop.”

He later added: “In conclusion of these initial thoughts: President Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize.”