Trump calls Nobel choice an 'indelible stain' on Norway
President Trump told a rally in Syracuse, New York, on Friday night that he had never heard of Navi Pillay, the South African judge who won this year's Nobel Peace Prize. He called the choice "an indelible stain" on Norway, home of the prize committee, and warned, "we will not forget." Pillay had joked earlier that she might share the prize with him.
President Trump used a Friday night rally in Syracuse, New York, to attack the Nobel Peace Prize committee for passing him over, and he said he had never heard of the winner, South African judge Navi Pillay.
"I've never heard of the person," Trump said, NBC News reported. "I know a lot of people." Newsweek reported that he also called her "a mystery person."
Trump then turned on Norway, where the prize committee is based. He called the pick "an indelible stain on the country of Norway" and "a disgraceful and embarrassing decision." He said the prize had been "forever discredited by a handful of radical ideologues," and added, "we will not forget, Norway," according to NBC News and the BBC.
He repeated his claim that he has settled eight wars, and he said he deserved eight Nobel prizes, one for each of them. The BBC noted that he gave no evidence. NBC News noted that the war with Iran he launched this year is still going on.
The rally was at the Oncenter arena, where Trump campaigned for Bruce Blakeman, the Republican running against Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul. Hundreds of protesters gathered outside, Newsweek reported.
Pillay had taken her own jab hours earlier. Hearing the news at a forum in Nuremberg, Germany, she drew laughs from supporters when she said, "If you clap a little bit more, I may share this prize with Trump," The Hill reported. She also brushed off praise for her "courage" in leading a UN panel that found Israel committed genocide in Gaza. "Why would you need courage to speak the truth?" she said.
The committee honored Pillay, 85, for her work to promote peace and international law. She is a former UN human rights chief and a former judge at the International Criminal Court. The same day, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced full sanctions on that court, The Hill reported.
The prize cannot be shared or handed to someone else. The Nobel committee said so after last year's winner, María Corina Machado, gave Trump her medal in January, the BBC reported.
What we know: Trump called the choice a stain on Norway and said he did not know the winner.
What we don't: Whether Norway's government or the Nobel committee will answer him.
Where outlets agree NBC News and the BBC both report that Trump told the Syracuse rally the Nobel choice was "an indelible stain" on Norway and that "we will not forget."
Where they differ The outlets cited here report the same key facts so far.