White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt ignited a social media firestorm on Thursday, July 10, after declaring that President Donald Trump “deserves” the Nobel Peace Prize. The statement, shared on X (formerly Twitter), was posted alongside a USA Today op-ed with the same headline and quickly went viral, garnering more than 415,000 views within hours.
In her post, Leavitt wrote, “Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. He’s achieved more than those who’ve won before.” The bold claim triggered immediate and widespread backlash online, with critics pointing to Trump’s military actions, support for Israel’s war in Gaza, and refusal to declassify documents related to Jeffrey Epstein as reasons he should not be considered for such an honor.
Among the voices pushing back was conservative journalist Cassandra Fairbanks, who called Leavitt’s suggestion “absolutely comical.” “It’s absolutely comical to suggest he deserves a peace prize after bombing another nation and making us pay for the massacre Israel is undertaking. Obama didn’t deserve it and neither does he. This admin has lost its collective mind,” Fairbanks wrote on X.
The controversy erupted just days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. During a meeting, Netanyahu lauded Trump’s leadership, particularly in global affairs and the Middle East.
“I want to express the appreciation and admiration not only of all Israelis, but of the Jewish people, and many, many admirers around the world for your leadership—your leadership of a free world, your leadership of a just cause, and the pursuit of peace and security which you are leading in many lands now, especially in the Middle East,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu then handed Trump a copy of the letter he sent to the Nobel Prize Committee, stating, “He’s forging peace as we speak in one country and one region after the other. So, I want to present to you, Mr. President, the letter I sent to the Nobel Prize committee.”
Trump responded warmly, saying, “Coming from you in particular, this is very meaningful. Thank you very much, Bibi.” Despite support from Netanyahu and conservative allies, Leavitt’s public endorsement of Trump for the peace prize sparked outrage among critics across the political spectrum.
One X user summed up the sentiment bluntly: “Trump deserves a Nobel Peace Prize? For what. Threatening to bomb the s**t out of Moscow and Beijing? Bombing Fordo? Get outta here.” As the post continues to circulate, it has become a flashpoint in ongoing debates surrounding Trump’s legacy and global influence.