'They'll find a reason not to give it to me': Trump on chances of winning Nobel Peace prize

Donald Trump at White House

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he has “no idea” about his chances of winning the Nobel Peace Prize this year but suggested that the Norwegian Nobel Committee may “find some reason” not to give it to him despite his claims of settling multiple global conflicts.

Asked at the White House about his chances of winning the coveted prize, Trump said, “I have no idea... Marco would tell you we settled seven wars. We're close to settling an eighth" (referring to ongoing talks on Gaza ceasefire deal with Israel proposed by him).

"I think we'll end up settling the Russia situation... I don't think anybody in history has settled that many. But perhaps they'll find a reason not to give it to me," he said.

Trump, who has been repeatedly taking credit for ending the India-Pakistan military tensions in May this year, again claimed his role in resolving several conflicts around the world.

At the same event, Trump received a note from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a roundtable on antifa, which he read aloud before reporters. “I was just given a note by the secretary of state saying that we're very close to a deal in the Middle East, and they're going to need me pretty quickly,” Trump said.

He indicated that he may travel to Egypt this weekend as part of ongoing Middle East negotiations, saying a deal is “very close.” Trump added that he could depart “as early as Saturday.”

“I have to go now to try and solve some problems in the Middle East,” he said, according to Al Jazeera.

A senior Palestinian source told Al Jazeera that mediators in Egypt have assured the Palestinian delegation that if an agreement is reached, Trump will announce the end of the war in Gaza. Mediators asked both the Palestinian and Israeli delegations to set Friday as the final deadline for negotiations. Hamas agreed to release all Israeli captives and postpone handing over the bodies until field conditions allow.

Progress has been made on issues including lists for captive exchange and guarantees to prevent a return to war after the release of Israeli captives. Mediators are currently meeting with the Israeli delegation to obtain final answers on the outstanding issues.

Earlier in the day, Trump said, “‘Peace for the Middle East,’ that's a beautiful phrase, and we hope it's going to come true, but it's very close, and they're doing very well. We have a great team over there, great negotiators, and there are, unfortunately, great negotiators on the other side also. But it's something I think that will happen.”

The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on Friday in Stockholm, following this week’s announcements for the prizes in medicine, physics, and chemistry.

With inputs from agencies