THE world seems equal parts bemused and outraged. Of all entities in the world, Pakistan’s government has nominated US President Donald Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.

The intent behind this surprising move lands with all the subtlety of a marching band. There is a long history of Mr Trump expressing bitterness over not having received a Nobel prize, especially since his primary rival, Barack Obama, got one early into his presidency.

Mr Trump appears to have convinced himself that his exclusion from the list of Nobel laureates stems from the prize committee’s supposed “liberal bias” rather than the inconvenient fact that he has yet to deliver durable peace anywhere in the world.

But that does not matter to the Pakistani state. The ruling elite here has long understood that flattery, particularly of powerful men with fragile egos, is a very dependable strategy for courting their favour.

Indeed, it is a shame there is no office for ‘king of the world’, or Mr Trump might very well have been nominated for that instead, given the Pakistani government’s gratitude for his “decisive diplomatic intervention and pivotal leadership” in the recent skirmishes with India.

Ordinary Pakistanis, however, are considerably less enthused. Mr Trump’s nomination for the Nobel prize has come in the midst of the ongoing slaughter of innocents in Palestine, which has been enabled by his government’s relentless supply of arms to the genocidal Israeli government.

It has also been announced on what appears to be the eve of yet another unjustified and potentially catastrophic American war in the Middle East. Many citizens have expressed dismay and embarrassment over this symbolic capitulation to the US presidency.

The concerns about Mr Trump’s candidature also go beyond Palestine. In his own country, he is being criticised for dismantling protections related to race, gender and immigration.

His administration’s policies have triggered widespread protests. He routinely attacks the free press, labelling it “fake news” and “the enemy of the people,” even as he embraces conspiracy theorists and far-right provocateurs.

Abroad, his rhetoric towards weaker nations has been offensive and demeaning, even as he courts authoritarian leaders with open admiration. That such a figure is being nominated for a prize meant to symbolise peace is, of course, an international absurdity. It is unfortunate for Pakistanis to bear this embarrassment.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2025