Trump Nominated for Israel Prize After Nobel Goes to Machado

Following the announcement that Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado would receive the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, a new nomination has thrust former U.S. President Donald J. Trump back into the spotlight this time from Israel.

Ronny Douek, a past Israel Prize laureate and prominent Israeli philanthropist, has formally nominated Trump for the Israel Prize for Lifetime Achievement and Special Contribution to Society and the State. In a letter to Education Minister Yoav Kisch, Douek praised Trump’s unwavering support for Israel, urging that the prize be awarded on Israel’s upcoming Independence Day and requesting a rare exception to permit a non-Israeli recipient.

“He proved through actions his uncompromising commitment to Israel’s security and to peace in the Middle East,” Douek wrote. The nomination credits Trump not only with past breakthroughs, but also with current efforts, including his involvement in advancing the ongoing ceasefire and hostage-release framework.

The submission outlines landmark achievements from Trump’s first term: U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and the relocation of the American embassy in 2018, recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights in 2019, and the historic signing of the Abraham Accords normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab nations, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan.

Douek also acknowledged Trump’s continued diplomatic role in recent efforts to end the war in Gaza and secure the release of hostages held by Hamas. Some broader claims, such as curbing Hezbollah or easing tensions with Syria, reflect the perspective of the nominator but underscore a vision of Trump as a strategic actor in Middle Eastern stability.

While the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded for work accomplished in the preceding year and nominations for 2025 closed before Trump’s renewed diplomatic efforts he remains eligible for future consideration in 2026.

As for the Israel Prize, the Education Ministry has yet to comment on whether it will approve the exemption. Traditionally, the prestigious award has been granted to Israeli citizens or residents, with very few exceptions over the years.

Still, this nomination signals something significant: Trump’s legacy in Israel continues to resonate. From policy to peace accords, many Israelis view his tenure as one of the most consequential periods of U.S.-Israel relations in modern history.

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