A whirlwind Friday saw President Donald Trump announce a significant diplomatic achievement: a peace treaty between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, brokered with the help of Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Trump hailed the agreement as “wonderful,” promising the signing of official documents in Washington the following Monday. This remarkable development was overshadowed, however, by another announcement: Pakistan’s formal nomination of Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.
Trump, in a Truth Social post, expressed his delight at the Rwanda-Congo treaty, framing it as a great day for Africa and the world. He characteristically downplayed the possibility of a Nobel win, claiming he wouldn’t receive one “no matter what I do.” This statement followed his recent dismissal of India’s claims that he played a role in ending the recent India-Pakistan conflict, an assertion India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri strongly refuted.
The Pakistani government, in a lengthy post on X, argued that Trump’s decisive intervention during the India-Pakistan crisis, demonstrated through “robust diplomatic engagement,” secured a crucial ceasefire. They highlighted his “great strategic foresight and stellar statesmanship,” praising his efforts to resolve the long-standing Jammu and Kashmir dispute. Pakistan expressed hope that Trump’s diplomatic efforts would continue to contribute to regional and global stability, particularly concerning ongoing crises in the Middle East.
The Nobel Peace Prize nomination, made possible by Pakistan’s status as a qualified nominator, added an unexpected layer to the day’s events. The confidential nomination process, with a January 31st deadline, leaves Trump’s chances uncertain, but the gesture itself underscores the significant global impact attributed to his actions, regardless of his personal view on the matter. The juxtaposition of these two events – a concrete peace treaty and a prestigious nomination – paints a complex picture of Trump’s global influence and legacy.
