From Roosevelt to Obama: Every US president to win the Nobel Peace Prize

The Nobel Peace Prize Committee is set to announce this year’s laureate at 2:30 pm IST, amid increasing claims from US President Donald Trump of having stopped "seven wars."

 

Trump, who recently helped negotiate the first stage of the Gaza peace deal, has been positioning himself as the frontrunner for the prestigious award. His claims are being supported by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Pakistan’s government. In an X post on Thursday, Netanyahu said, "Give Donald Trump the Nobel Peace Prize, he deserves it!" Netanyahu also thanked Trump for his efforts and for his global leadership.

 

This year, Trump is competing with hundreds of candidates, including Tesla chief Elon Musk. According to the Nobel Committee, 338 candidates have been nominated for the 2025 Peace Prize, including 244 individuals and 94 organisations. 

 

As speculations rise over whether Trump could emerge as the surprise pick, let's take a look at previous US presidents who were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

US presidents who won the Nobel Peace Prize

So far, four US presidents and one vice-president have received the Nobel Peace Prize. While three presidents were awarded the Nobel while they were in office, one of them received it after leaving office. Here are the US presidents who have won the Nobel Peace Prize:

Barack Obama (2009)

The 44th US President (2009-2016) won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples. Obama’s win in 2009 stirred intense debate, as it came shortly after he took office. Critics argued that he had not achieved enough in office to merit the prize.

 

In his acceptance speech, Obama said, "I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the considerable controversy that your generous decision has generated. In part, this is because I am at the beginning, and not the end, of my labours on the world stage. Compared to some of the giants of history who've received this prize — Schweitzer and King; Marshall and Mandela — my accomplishments are slight."

 

The Committee clarified that it intended to “encourage his vision for nuclear disarmament”, a justification that could support Trump’s case. However, Trump recently dismissed Obama’s award, saying, “He got a prize for doing nothing. They gave it to him for getting elected, and he went on to destroy our country.”

Jimmy Carter (2002)

The 39th President of the US (1977-1980) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his decades of work seeking peaceful solutions to international conflicts, advancing democracy and human rights, and promoting economic and social development. Carter was involved in numerous humanitarian and peace initiatives, including his work with the Carter Center in areas like disease eradication, election monitoring, and conflict resolution. 

Woodrow Wilson (1919)

The 28th US President (1913-1920) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1919 for his tireless efforts to promote peace and his vision for a post–World War I world order. Wilson's famous Fourteen Points outlined his vision for a new world order that would prevent future conflicts, and he played a significant role in the establishment of the League of Nations, a precursor to the United Nations.

Theodore Roosevelt (1906)

The 26th US President (1901-1908) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 for his role in mediating the Russo-Japanese War. This conflict had the potential to escalate into a major global war, but Roosevelt's diplomacy played a crucial role in ending the hostilities and brokering a peace agreement.

 

In addition to his mediation efforts, he reached a Gentleman’s Agreement on immigration with Japan, which aimed to reduce tensions and discrimination against Japanese immigrants. Roosevelt's prize, which he won on his first nomination, is currently hung in the Roosevelt Room in the White House’s West Wing.

 

Apart from these, US Vice-President Al Gore also won the Nobel Prize in 2007 for his efforts to obtain and spread knowledge about climate change.