US Presidents Who Went To War Still Won Nobel Peace Prize

Washington, D.C, United States: Days after reports of US President Donald Trump having ambition to win the Nobel Peace Prize, he ordered the bombing of the key nuclear targets in Iran on Sunday, which experts call unconstitutional and unnecessary. Despite the US not facing any immediate threat, as per some of the senators, the attack on Iran has triggered widespread concern in the Middle East, fueling fears of nuclear radiation and further chaos in the region.

Notably, it is perhaps not accidental that Trump ironically suggested his ambition for Nobel Prize for Peace by bombing Iran, as the history of the US shows several presidents winning the prize despite going to war, causing destruction and claiming thousands of innocent human lives. It is also a paradox that the US still claims to be the leading democracy and flagbearer of humanitarian values despite being the single deployer of nuclear weapons in Japan, killing over 1 lakh people, and leading to several other bloods across the world to date. There have been several presidents who went to war and still won Nobel Peace Prize.

Who Are the US Presidents Who Won the Nobel Peace Prize?

The first US president to win a Nobel Peace Prize was Theodore Roosevelt in 1906. He won the prize for his role in mediating the end of the Russo-Japanese War, reaching the Treaty of Portsmouth, formally ending the war. Though he remains the only president who has not ordered a bombing campaign or war, he has taken several strategic and military actions.

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In 1920, after World War 1, then-president Woodrow Wilson won the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in ending the First World War and the creation of the League of Nations. However, he is known for violations of civil liberties and international law throughout his interventions.

The US intervened in World War, resulting in significant casualties, which many perceive contributed to the escalation of the conflict. During his presidency, the US also intervened militarily in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, leading to prolonged occupations and the suppression of local populations, drawing criticism of US imperialism and violations of national sovereignty. Despite the criticisms and controversies, he won the Nobel Prize for peace.

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The third US president to receive the Nobel Prize for peace was Jimmy Carter in 2002. He won the prize for his efforts in finding solutions to several international conflicts, advancing democracy and human rights, and promoting economic and social development. Carter relatively focused on diplomacy and still took limited military interventions.

Then the latest president to win the title – Barack Obama in 2009 for his work in international diplomacy and cooperation. Obama himself expressed surprise at receiving the honor after intervening several conflicts, with many arguing the award was politically motivated, noting that many of his actions did not warrant such recognition for peace. Even the secretary of the Nobel Committee, Geir Lundestad, later acknowledged it and expressed regret over the decision.

Several other warmonger heads of state have also been ironically awarded the prestigious Nobel Prize for Peace, questioning the credibility of the title, including former United States Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and former Israeli presidents Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin.

Amid the recent Israel’s conflict with Iran, the US president has reportedly advanced his wish to win the title, and Pakistan has already recommended Trump to the list after the latter’s military chief held a meeting with the US president earlier this week.

Reflecting the scenario, strategic thinker, author and commentator, Brahma Chellaney, shared a post on social media that read, “By bombing Iran, Trump has paradoxically advanced his ambition to win the Nobel Peace Prize. This not-for-peace prize has, after all, been awarded to several warmongers: • 1906: Theodore Roosevelt — champion of “Big Stick” diplomacy and an aggressive foreign policy, who famously declared, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” • 1973: Henry Kissinger — mastermind of the secret carpet-bombing of Laos and Cambodia. • 1994: Shimon Peres — as defense minister and prime minister he oversaw major Israeli military operations. • 1994: Yitzhak Rabin — architect of the brutal “force, might, and beatings” doctrine during the First Intifada, and the IDF chief during the 1967 Six-Day War when Israel seized Palestinian territories. • 2009: Barack Obama — who went on to launch or expand wars from Somalia and Yemen to Iraq and Syria. His 2011 intervention toppled Libya’s Gaddafi, creating a failed state, while his covert, CIA-led effort to oust Assad in Syria helped give rise to the Islamic State (ISIS).

By bombing Iran, Trump has paradoxically advanced his ambition to win the Nobel Peace Prize. This not-for-peace prize has, after all, been awarded to several warmongers:

• 1906: Theodore Roosevelt — champion of “Big Stick” diplomacy and an aggressive foreign policy, who…

— Brahma Chellaney (@Chellaney) June 22, 2025