Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally nominated President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize on Monday, presenting the former president with a letter he submitted to the Nobel Committee during a high-profile meeting at the White House.
“I want to present to you, Mr. President, the letter I sent to the Nobel Prize committee,” Netanyahu said during their sit-down, handing Trump the nomination across the table. “It’s the nomination of you for the peace prize, which is well-deserved. And you should get it.”
A visibly surprised Trump responded, “This I didn’t know. Well, thank you very much.”
The moment unfolded ahead of a private dinner between the two leaders, capping a day of strategic talks focused on the ongoing war in Gaza, efforts to secure a cease-fire with Hamas, and the potential expansion of the Abraham Accords to additional Arab nations.
Recognition for Israel-Iran Cease-Fire
This is not Trump’s first nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. Earlier this year, Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) submitted Trump’s name for brokering a cease-fire between Israel and Iran, which ended a 12-day conflict. In his letter to the Norwegian Nobel Committee, Carter praised Trump’s “extraordinary and historic role” in defusing tensions and preventing Iran from advancing its nuclear ambitions.
High-Level Talks Amid Ongoing Conflict
Netanyahu and Trump met with senior officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff, although no detailed readouts of those meetings were released.
While Trump continues to push for a cease-fire deal that includes the release of hostages held by Hamas, Netanyahu reiterated that any agreement must ensure Hamas is removed from Gaza entirely. He has also proposed a long-term Israeli military presence in the territory, with governance handed over to local leaders unaffiliated with Hamas or the Palestinian Authority.
“I think our teams together make an extraordinary combination to meet challenges and seize opportunities,” Netanyahu said. “The president has already realized a great opportunity to forge the Abraham Accords. He’s forging peace as we speak.”
Regional Escalation and “Day After” Plans
During Netanyahu’s visit, reports emerged of an ambush in Gaza that left Israeli soldiers dead. Despite the development, Trump expressed optimism that negotiations for a cease-fire would remain on track.
“I don’t think so,” Trump said when asked if the incident would derail talks. “They want it. They want to meet and they want to have that cease-fire.”
Witkoff added, “We have an opportunity to finally get a peace deal, Mr. Prime Minister, as we discussed, and I’m hopeful for it very quickly.”
The leaders also touched on the future of Gaza’s civilian population. Trump previously floated the idea of offering Palestinians the option to relocate to other countries—a proposal Netanyahu indicated is under discussion.
“If people want to stay, they can stay,” Netanyahu said. “But if they want to leave, they should be able to leave. It shouldn’t be, you know, a prison.”
He added that the Trump administration is helping identify countries willing to accept Palestinian refugees as part of a broader effort to reshape Gaza’s future.
As the war in Gaza continues to escalate and cease-fire negotiations teeter on the edge, the symbolic moment of Netanyahu nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize highlighted the growing alignment between the two leaders—and the high stakes of their joint diplomacy.
